


To Love A Spy

by Aubrey_Snape



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, I Don't Care If You Don't Like This Pairing, Suck it up, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-19
Updated: 2013-12-19
Packaged: 2017-12-24 01:07:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 71,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/933306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aubrey_Snape/pseuds/Aubrey_Snape
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione stumbles across her injured Professor one night in the corridor, and finds herself thrown into a world full of double agents, blurred lines, danger, love, and friendship. Can Severus and Hermione find love, or will the dangerous life as a spy keep them from happiness?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Finding A Spy

**Author's Note:**

> All recognizable work is from JK Rowling. Everything else is mine. Do not copy, duplicate, hand-out, or archive without permission from me first.

Hermione walked slowly back to her dormitory, exhausted. The tedium of schoolwork had finally worn her down, and despite her almost eidetic knowledge of what the famous Hogwarts library had to offer, she hadn’t quite conquered the fact that she wasn’t old enough to take her NEWTs. Most brilliant witch of her age, and her schooling was stunting her intellectual growth. The irony did not elude her. 

This particular evening she had spent her remaining energy on an essay describing the uses of pickled murtlap in magical fertilizers, and was reviewing all of the important points in her head when her thoughts were interrupted by a stifled groan echoing down the corridor. Ducking behind an alcove, she drew her wand and warily scanned the hallway for danger. When the groan came again, she whispered into the darkness, trying very hard to keep the frightened waver out of her tone.

“Hello?” 

The responding grunt and thud made her jump, but she noticed a slight shimmer of reflected torchlight not far from where she stood. Hoping it was merely a disillusionment spell and nothing more sinister, she silently cast the counter spell. 

She gasped as the tattered form of her potions professor came into view. His face, bloody and seemingly beaten, betrayed his normally indifferent temperament. He was undoubtedly in immense pain, and she rushed to his side. 

“Professor Snape?” She asked, gingerly placing his head in her lap.

“Obviously, you nitwit,” he rasped out, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Your assistance isn’t wanted. Immediately return to your dormitory, or I will deduct house points. You are out past curfew.” His lip almost made it into its customary snarl, but the gash on his cheek made him wince and he sounded as if speaking was taxing the last bit of his strength. The overall image was ineffective at best, and if he weren’t so injured, she would have considered it funny.

“You need Madame Pompfrey. Let me help you up,” she replied as she made to move his head from her thighs.

“I require nothing from you. Spare me your tiresome Gryffindor meddling,” he growled.

“Fine, but your own stubbornness won’t do you any good while you bleed to death on the floor.” She dropped his head unceremoniously on the ground, hiding a flinch when his head hit the stone with a sickening “thunk.”

“Bloody hell, there’s no need to brain me.” He scowled at her menacingly through bloodshot eyes.

“Color me surprised, you still have a brain, sir? How silly of me, I nearly thought you’d lost it somehow when you told me you didn’t need help. Oh well, enjoy your evening bleeding out on the floor,” she snarked, rolling her eyes and making her way down the corridor. 

Hermione had made it around the corner before she heard his voice calling her back.

“Miss Granger, come back here,” he sighed.

In any other situation he’d rather swallow nails than rely on one of the Golden Trio for help, but Severus Snape was no fool. He knew his situation was a dire one.

“Yes, Professor? Can I help you with something?” Hermione asked, deliberately simpering and walking lightly towards the injured man. 

Severus inwardly raged at her tone but nodded, “I would appreciate it… If you would assist me to my dungeons,” he strained through his teeth as he tried to stand and failed, the blush of his embarrassment well hidden by the torchlight. 

“Your dungeons? Surely the hospital wing is a better option,” Hermione asked dubiously, almost completely convinced that the crack on his head had altered his mind.

“No, Miss Granger. If you want to help, though it pains me to ask, I need my dungeons. Either assist me or kindly continue on your way,” he forced through gritted teeth, the effort of arguing sapping his energy stores to a dangerous level. 

Hermione deliberated for a moment before walking over to the man and helping him to his feet. He tried to stand on his own, but when he swayed dangerously she pulled his arm over her shoulders and secured her own arm around his waist. He sucked in breath painfully when her hands came into contact with his seemingly broken ribs.

“Watch it,” he seethed. “Before you do more damage.” She cast a sideways glance at him, annoyed at his tone, and cast a disillusionment charm on them both. Severus felt the cold trickle down his back, and was overwhelmed with a wave of gratitude for the bushy haired girl. Through his pain, a curiosity hit him. 

“Miss Granger, who taught you wandless magic?” 

She snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes, but didn’t answer until they stopped, winded, in front of his classroom door. 

“What makes you think someone had to teach me,” she retorted sharply, holding a stitch in her side and gasping for breath. “I happen to be the most smartest witch of my age. Haven’t you heard? Or are you a subscriber to that exhausted ‘mudbloods are lesser’ doctrine?” It was meant to sound nasty, but her gulping for air infinitely diminished the effect.

“Don’t use that word in my presence,” he snarled at her viciously. She was taken aback by his harsh tone, but when she saw his blood splashing in thick droplets onto the floor, she bit back her retort and half dragged half carried him into the classroom. 

“Where-” She began, but stopped when he waved his hand towards the front of the room. A door appeared almost directly behind his desk. 

“If you tell anyone about that door, Miss Granger, I will make you rue the day you were born.” The threat lacked its usual bite, and he began to lean more heavily on her. She pulled him towards the door and into his quarters before he started nodding off, and as they crossed the threshold into his bedroom he collapsed fully. Hermione dropped him, once again, on the floor. 

She levitated him into bed and considered her options, recalling, with almost perfect precision, the first aid course she’d once taken. She began by divesting him of his bloodied and torn clothing. Once she’d reached his trousers, however, she fought an embarrassed blush, closed her eyes, and covered him as quickly as possible. Hermione opened her eyes and was immediately faced with Severus Snape’s naked chest, and she found herself staring at his muscled chest in amazement. His skin was pale, and smattered with sparse black hair that trailed down towards his-- 

“Stop, stop! Hermione! What are you doing?” She exclaimed to the open room, shaking the offending thoughts out of her head. Newly focused, she searched the storeroom for all of the potions she thought he would need: blood replenishing potions, pain potions, healing potions, and a sedative, so he wouldn’t choke her to death when he woke. 

She returned to his bedroom and began administering the contents of the vials to him, pouring them into his slightly open mouth, massaging his throat, and praying to everything holy that it was working. After the potions had all been force fed to him, she began to knit his wounds together with her wand. She froze when she arrived at his left arm, not knowing how to proceed once she saw the Dark Mark staring at her in stark contrast against his pale skin. She touched the mark delicately. Suddenly, she was filled with an overwhelming nauseous feeling. She snatched her hand back quickly and jerked her gaze up to Severus’s face. Her heart was beating fiercely in her chest as she surveyed the unconscious man.

“Miss Granger,” A voice called from behind her. Startled, she grabbed her wand, took a defensive stance in front of Severus’s body, and came face to face with Albus Dumbledore, hands in the air, at the end of her wand. 

“Oh, Headmaster, I’m so sorry,” she apologized, mortified, tucking her wand in her sleeve. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“That’s quite alright, Miss Granger.” He chuckled good-naturedly. “I would expect nothing less from a startled witch.” 

“….. He works for him, doesn’t he? Voldemort?” she asked tentatively, gazing down at the sleeping man.

Albus smiled sadly. “That is a story for him to divulge, I’m afraid. Lemon drop?” He offered the small yellow candy to her, but she politely declined. Popping an exceptionally luscious one in his mouth he asked, “Are you to stay until he wakes?” She nodded in assent, and he replied, “Don’t take it too personally when he does, my dear. He’s normally about as friendly as a blast-ended skrewt in the mornings.” He gave her a knowing smile, turned to the fireplace, and disappeared in a flume of green flame.

Hermione, seriously looking forward to an explanation from Professor Snape, pulled some extracurricular reading our of her book bag, transfigured a plush leather chair into a small bed, and settled in for a long night.

Hermione didn't know when she fell asleep, but a shout suddenly woke her up. She bolted out of the bed and pulled her wand out, expecting danger but finding only Snape thrashing violently about. Brow furrowed with worry, she stowed her wand back up her sleeve and approached the bed. She was shocked to find him feverish, skin hot to the touch. 'Probably the only time I will admit that my professor is hot,' she thought sarcastically. 

She conjured a goblet, filled it with water, and slowly poured it into his slightly open mouth, followed by another sedative to help him sleep through his fever dreams. Hermione cleansed his sheets of fever sweat, straightened his blankets around him, retreated to her transfigured bed, transfigured one of her larger textbooks into a pillow, and fell asleep before her head hit it.


	2. To Heal A Spy

Hermione woke to something tickling her face and when she blearily opened her eyes she saw two yellowed orbs in front of her face; she blinked furiously and a griffin came into view.  
"AHHH," She screamed before the creatures paw was shoved over her mouth.  
"Hush human, you will wake my owner," the griffin said in a scratchy voice.  
"Um-um, hi?"  
"Who are you?" The griffin asked, it sat on its back legs and looked at her suspiciously.  
"I'm Hermione Granger, a student here." She resisted the urge to pet the creature sitting on her lap.  
"Why are you here," the creature hissed ruffling his feathers in irritation.  
"I-I-I found him in a corridor bleeding badly so I brought him here to heal him." She said shrinking into the chair away from the annoyed animal.  
"That was you? Well, thank you. Severus is a very stubborn when he is injured."  
"What is your name? You have a name I assume?"  
"Yes, my name is Abaven, I am his familiar of sorts."  
"That means 'guardian of men'," Hermione was surprised to see such an animal as a familiar. It was hard to imagine a man like Snape having a familiar at all.  
She looked around to check the time and saw that it was close to 6:30 am; she jumped up quickly and cast a quick cleaning spell on herself to go get some food.  
"I'll be back," Hermione said to Abaven.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
When Severus woke the next morning he felt like a thestrals stomping toy; he gingerly got out of bed to relieve the full bladder he was supporting but was curious when he didn't feel as horrible as he should of. Through half head eyes he stumbled into the bathroom and over to the toilet stretching his muscles while he emptied the fluids from his body. 'Odd, I don't remember drinking anything,' He thought to himself but shrugged it off climbing into the shower. He let the blistering hot water wash over his aching muscles and scrubbed his head. Despite what people may think he did actually take showers and actually took good care of himself. He just had inherited shitty genes that made his hair oilier than others giving him a "greasy" appearance. He was again puzzled as he noticed the absence of blood on his body along with the injuries he had sustained last night. 'Abaven probably found me and took care of me; interfering creature,' he decided as he stepped from the shower and back into his room to prepare to get dressed. He saw Abaven sitting on his bed as he walked to his wardrobe to pull on his trousers and teaching attire.  
"If you get any feathers on my bed I will pluck you then cook you food dinner." Severus said fondly looking at his familiar.  
"You've been threatening that to me for a great number of years now, and I seem to still have them."  
Severus walked out grumbling and was surprised to see a steaming plate of food and coffee on his desk; he looked down at Abaven.  
"Did you get me breakfast and fix me up?"  
"Not I," came his response as he jumped up to eat the mouse that lay there.  
"Well then who did it? I should be feeling like hells dogs used me as a chew toy and I was not covered in blood this morning." Severus said curiously as he sat at his desk to eat the delicious food, the tray had all his favorites.  
"A woffun ded it lass nighf," Abaven said with his mouth full of mouse.  
"Excuse me; I couldn't understand you over the half chewed mouse rolling around in your wide open trap," Severus said picking up his fork to eat his eggs.  
Abaven swallowed thensaid, "A woman did it last night, she found you in the corridor's and brought you here. Then she woke early to go get you breakfast."  
"Who was the woman? How dare you let a stranger into my quarters! Some protector you are," Severus snarled.  
"A Hermione Granger, if I remember correctly. She had fallen asleep in a chair in your room." The griffin was much too used to his owners' grumpiness to get upset over it.  
"Bloody Gryffindor's, why is fate so cruel to me to send her to aid me."  
Abaven jumped down having finished his mouse and slunk away out of the room before calling back, "You should be thankful Severus."  
Severus was enjoying his steaming cup of coffee and toast when the headmaster strolled into his rooms. "Do you ever knock?" He asked the old man as he conjured a chintz armchair and made himself comfortable.  
"Sometimes, but I find that there is no need to knock when a person already expects me," Dumbledore said surveying the man over his half-moon spectacles.  
"He wants the Malfoy boy to kill you; he's been ordered to do it before the end of the year or else he will murder him."  
"You will do it," Albus said watching the younger man's head jerk up to look at him.  
"Excuse me? Have you no concern for the way my life will be altered by killing you?" Severus demanded, he put his cup of coffee down before he broke the cup from anger.  
"I care about you a great deal Severus, as you well know, but Mr. Malfoy is far too young and too innocent to take a life. You know that I am already dying, you will merely be saving an old man a lot of embarrassment and pain." He looked at the son-like man before him with an uncharacteristically serious face, all twinkle in his eyes now gone.  
"Should I do it now or would you like to compose a sonnet first?" Severus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  
"Later, I think." Albus said chuckling at the younger man's snarky attitude.  
Severus sneered at the man as he walked away secretly thinking that he could kill him now and blame it on old age.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hermione sat down with Harry and Ron in the common room that night and tried to forget about the previous night. She was trying to read a book but she wasn't focused enough on the page to actually take in the words so she bid the boys good night and went up to the girl dormitory. She changed into her pajamas but a movement outside caught her eye and she froze with her face pressed against the glass. She could barely make out the image of robes billowing behind the figure as it walked up to the school. She gasped when Snape looked up towards her window and she jumped back with her heart beating a tattoo against her throat. She tiptoed back over to the window but the man was gone; she frowned for a moment before deciding her actions. She disillusioned herself and slipped out of the dormitory; once down the stairs she walked over to the portrait hole to wait for someone to open it. She was in luck, Neville Longbottom walked through the portrait hole carrying an ugly looking plant but she slipped past him and down the hall. She crept quietly towards the dungeons wondering if her Professor had already made it back to his room but as she slipped around another corner she stopped suddenly when she saw him leaning against a wall.  
Severus heard quiet footsteps walking into the corridor but suddenly they stopped; a vanilla perfume reached his nose and he had to think where he had smelled it before.  
"Miss Granger, show yourself," He said, he waited patiently until the girl revealed herself but was put out when no one appeared.  
He jerked back when he felt invisible hands prodding his bloody side, "Miss Granger, now."  
He didn't hear a spell but suddenly she came into sight bent slightly with her hands at his side whispering something that sounded like a spell. The pain in his side receded as she spoke and when the blood was finally clear she looked up at him.  
"Out of bed after curfew, Miss Granger? 20 points from Gryffindor." He said to her with a triumphant smirk.  
Hermione glared at him before silently casting the disillusionment charm back over herself; kicking him in the shin before walking back up the corridor and out of sight.  
Severus listened until her footsteps had faded completely before he glowered and reached down to rub him throbbing shin. 'Damned insufferable chit,' He thought as he continued on his way.


	3. Fighting A Spy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hermione, Ron, and Hermione headed down to breakfast the next morning with Hermione dragging her feet slightly. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before because of her night time excursion she had gotten locked out of the common room until around 4 am when the Fat Lady finally woke up enough for her to receive the password. She smelled coffee coming from the Great Hall and she so hoped the House Elves would send her some. She sat down next to Ron and Harry staring at her plate desperately wishing for some coffee when some appeared suddenly. She looked at it in surprise before looking around at the students around her, who had noticed nothing. A tickling feeling on the back of her neck told her she was being watch and as she turned her head she saw that the person watching her was a healthy looking Professor Snape. When she met his eyes he raised an eyebrow in amusement before sipping from his cup and nodding his head. He looked away from her to survey the hall again so she turned back to her coffee and brought it to her lips sipping it slightly.  
Severus watched the Granger girl enter the hall looking like she had died then been brought back. She looked like she needed a strong cup of coffee, as soon as he thought this a cup had appeared in front of her and he watched in amusement as she jerked before looking around. He may not have been necessarily pleased to see her after he came back last night but if he was completely honest, not that he would ever tell anyone, it was nice to know someone was waiting when he got back. Someone that was willing to put up with his grouchiness in order to take care of him. He just sorely wished that it could have been someone else besides one third of the "Golden Trio" and the-boy-who-live-to-be-a-pain-in-his-ass's best friend. He shook his head to clear any thoughts of the girl from his head before turning back to survey the hall. His eyes fell on the Slytherin table and with a quick search he saw that Draco Malfoy wasn't at the table. Growing suspicious he stood quickly before exiting the hall via the teachers' door behind the head table.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hermione rolled her eyes when she heard Ron and Harry enter the common room after Quidditch arguing again about Draco Malfoy being a Death Eater. He had been convinced of this fact since they had seen the boy enter Borgin and Burkes over the summer; he showed something to Borgin that scared him immensely so Harry thought it was the Dark Mark. She didn't understand why he had this sudden obsession with Malfoy but it was beginning to worry her, if only because it seemed unhealthy. He had been so out of touch with them tough since Sirius Black's death the previous year. He still blamed himself, and if she were honest with herself, it was slightly his fault. He had run off to the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Mysteries because of a false vision Voldemort had planted in his head using their link. Ron, Harry, Luna, Ginny, Neville, and herself had run to his aid with a halfcocked plan to rescue his godfather. When they showed up however they found themselves face-to-face with Voldemort's trusty followers narrowly escaping when the Order of the Phoenix had come to save the day. She had been injured with a nasty slicing curse to her body which was still healing completely while Sirius had died at the hands, or rather, wand of Bellatrix Lestrange. She sighed and shook her head before kissing both boys on the top of their heads to head up to bed.  
She climbed into bed to read for a little bit and must have dozed off because the sound of her book hitting the floor jerked her awake. She stretched to pick up the book and realized that her stomach was growling with hunger. She got out of bed quietly and pulled on some shoes then tiptoed out of the dormitory she shared with 5 other girls and down the stairs. She walked out of the portrait hole towards the directions of the kitchens hoping to find something to eat. When she came up to the picture of a pear she tickled it gently and walked through the door that appeared behind it. Despite the lateness of the hour there were many house elves bustling around the kitchens, she heard "Miss Granger, Miss Granger," and looked around to see Dobby the Free House Elf hobbling towards her.  
"Is you needing something miss?" he asked her in a squeaky voice. He was dressed in a very clean toga type outfit with the Hogwarts Crest on it, the most absurd looking socks on his feet, and one of the knobby hats she had knitted for the house elves perched on his head.  
"Maybe a little something to eat," Hermione asked uncertainly but there was a scurrying of little feet which was several house elves carrying a tray of Chocolate Éclairs, ice cream, and cream stuffed lobster tails. The tray was set down and she looked around at all the eager faces before sitting cross legged on the floor to eat her treats.  
"MMMM… Do, would you like one maybe?" She asked to Dobby who shook his head vigorously.  
"Oh nos Miss, those is yours. Dobby has already eaten." Dobby said.  
Hermione finished her treats feeling very stuffed as she licked the melted chocolate from her fingers then stood thanking the elves. She smiled as she left the kitchens but as she looked up the corridor her smile slid off her face when her eyes fell on Snape.  
"Miss Granger, why do I seem to always find you out of bed after curfew?" He drawled as she walked slowly towards him.  
"I was hungry, so I came to get something—it's not important. I'll just be going now. " Hermione said with her head bowed.  
"20 points from Gryffindor Miss Granger, for being out of bed after hours; prefect or not there are still rules. Do not think simply because you're unwanted healing has given you any privileges." Severus said with the usual bite back in his voice.  
"Of course not sir, how could I ever think you'd be grateful?" Hermione snapped at him before turning to walk away.  
"Another 5 points for your cheek; get to bed now." Severus said in a low voice.  
"Whatever," Hermione remarked as she walked around the corner. 'You'd think that he'd be a little nicer after I had saved his ass but clearly not.'  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus watched the girl and he slumped against the wall as her footsteps faded. He knew that eventually she would be pulled into this war because of her touch to his mark. Thankfully the Dark Lord had not yet figured out who it was that touched him, he only felt the innocence behind the touch. 'Small favors,' Severus thought. He would have to do everything in his power to keep the chit away from him which meant being a cold heartless bastard no matter how much he wished it was the opposite. It's not that he particularly wanted her dead because she was the main reason he had been able to get out of bed that morning without feeling like death. But even that had aroused suspicion to his master; he was questioned and tortured further about why he was in such good health. He had not been pleased to hear that Severus had been fully healed so he insisted on reopening the wounds as a reminder. He shoved away from the wall in disgust and left in the direction of his quarters knowing that tomorrow's light was not going to be completely welcomed. He hated Gryffindor's but making one of the only Gryffindor's he didn't hate teaching cry made him want to just stay in his quarters.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The next morning dawned brightly and saw Hermione, Ron, and Harry heading down to the dungeons for their Potions lesson. Hermione refused to talk to Harry during these classes because of the book he was illegally using and was, in her eyes, cheating. She pulled her cauldron sharply away from the two boys and set to work with what she considered "the right way". Professor Slughorn had them creating the Draft of Living Death with required extreme concentration. Hermione felt her hair frizz out more and more as the lesson progressed and felt irritated when Harry's potion was almost perfect while he's resembled a mud pie. The reward, a vial of Phelix Falicis, went to Harry whose potion was, of course, perfect. She stormed out of the classroom and headed towards DADA with Snape. She entered the room and sat down at the table waiting for Harry and Ron to walk in. Once they did the three of them sat together to wait for their loathed professor to begin his lecture.  
"This class we will be learning the Imperio curse, though it is forbidden I have received special instruction from Dumbledore that teaching you to throw off the curse is beneficial in such times. Miss Granger, step before me." Snape sneered at her.  
"Um, yes sir," Hermione said nervously. Snape didn't look very friendly and actually looked even more menacing than before as she got up and walked in front of him.  
"You will try to resist the curse fully, though even that might be difficult for you," Snape smirked maliciously. "Imperio!"  
Hermione felt the most curious sensation come over her as the curse flew into her chest. Her mind went blank and thought became impossible as she stared at her Professor. She heard him command her to "bang your head against the wall" and she immediately walked over to do it; before her head could come into contact with the wall however, the curse was lifted.  
"Focus Miss Granger, you are going to have to do better than that pathetic attempt. 10 points from Gryffindor, Imperio!"  
Again the feeling was back in Hermione's head and she tried to see through the haze of the spell as the voice again commanded her to "do a back flip"; she crouched ready to complete the action when a tiny voice in her head said, "why?" She stood straight again and stood impassively staring at her Professor.  
"Do a back flip, now!" The voice yelled with a more commanding tone.  
She instantly complied and felt her body slam hard into the ground as she tried to finish the command but found the curse lifted. Her back hit the ground hard and she tried to keep her eyes from welling up with tears.  
"Pathetic, you almost did it but then your brainless effort failed; 20 points from Gryffindor." Snape snapped.  
Hermione felt herself get angry and snapped back before she could stop herself, "Perhaps you could tell me what to do professor, you are the instructor are you not?"  
Snape looked pissed as her yelled, "Imperio!"  
The blank sensation was back but Hermione's anger kept it from fully taking over her mind. She waited for the command to come with a bored expression on her face. She heard it a second later "take off your robes" and felt her hands comply. Her mind fought against the command but she dropped her school robed to the floor. "Take off your vest" the commanding tone came again but this time Hermione resisted the overwhelming urge to comply.  
"No," She said with confidence in her tone.  
"Take off your vest!" Snape said to the girl before him and was genuinely surprised when she shook her head no. "Now, take your vest off," He said while pointing his wand at the girl increasing the command but again she shook her head.  
"No."  
"Now!" The voice commanded and Hermione felt her hands drift to the bottom of her vest pulling it off before her brain told her no. "Take off your shirt."  
The class looked in mixtures of outrage and shock as their classmates hands went to her buttons.  
"No."  
"Now, Miss Granger."  
"No, I won't." Hermione said trying to clear her head of the fog. Every time she said no the haze cleared a little.  
"I said remove your shirt," Snape snarled at her again increasing the power behind the curse.  
"No, I don't want to." Came the girls' stubborn reply.  
"Do it now Miss Granger," Snape hissed at her.  
"No sir," Hermione said and her brain cleared of all the haze so that she was standing again looking into the furious and shocked eyes of her Professor. As the fog dispersed completely she felt her rage well into her being at the commands he had been giving her. "Where do you get off on having your female students strip Professor? Can't get a woman on your own so you have to resort to forces?"  
The classroom gasped as Snape's eyes flashed in anger and he strolled towards her; he grabbed her arm roughly before stating in a bored voice, "I wouldn't touch you or look at you in that way Miss Granger, you are nothing but a spoiled know-it-all brat. I would rather face a thousand Cruiatus curses than be presented with that idea you stupid child." He shoved her away watching her stumble into a desk and wince. "100 points from Gryffindor for your classmate's foolish cheek."  
Hermione tried to keep the tears out of her eyes as the pain in her back became more painful. When he had shoved her backwards she had stumbled into his desk which also had his quill pointing towards her. When she had put her hands back to catch her fall her left had landed on the quill making it point straight into her back. She tried to keep the tears from spilling over and she pulled the quill out; she felt wetness on her hand and run down her back and saw her blood. She looked at her professor to see the concern in his eyes but it was masked so quickly she thought it was imagined.  
"An additional 10 points for bleeding in my classroom and breaking my quill Miss Granger," Snape said with a triumphant sneer grabbing the quill out of her hand. "Get out of my sight now," he said as the bell rang.  
Severus watched the girl walk away from him and was worried to see the blood that was pooling in the lower portion of her back. He hadn't meant to shove her so hard but it was clear that he had used excessive force. He had to applaud her ability to hold back her tears and voice at being injured as severely as that. He felt sickened with himself for the need to do it but he justified his actions claiming a quill in the back was better than death.


	4. Healed by a Spy

Hermione kept her tears at bay until she had walked out of the classroom then they spilled down her face.  
"Hermione, we need to get you to the hospital wing!" Harry said with anger in his voice. He was shaking with the effort to keep himself from running back into the classroom to curse his professor.  
"What the bloody hell was going on with him?" Ron asked outraged as he put his arm around Hermione.  
Hermione didn't say anything as she put her head on Ron's shoulder, she felt slightly dizzy and she could tell that she was losing quite a bit of blood. Harry was behind her cleaning it up so that she wouldn't get into trouble but he was also worried about the amount of blood coming from his friend.  
They rounded a corner to see Professor McGonagall standing in the corridor; she looked up at them and frowned at the sight.  
"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley, what are you doing?" She said in her sharp brogue.  
"Professor Snape—" Ron began angrily but Hermione's words cut him off.  
"I injured myself in Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, I seem to be extraordinarily clumsy today and accidentally tripped backwards into a quill." She said in a shaking voice. When the boys on either side of her looked at her in outrage she promptly turned for Professor McGonagall to see her back effectively ending any further words.  
"Oh my dear, come quickly! How long has it been bleeding like that? Why have you got a handprint bruise on your arm? Did—Did Professor Snape do this to you?" Her professor said quickly, her glasses flashing in anger.  
Before Hermione could answer her she found herself being pulled away from the two boys and back towards the dungeons. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, go to class and tell your professor why Miss Granger isn't with you."  
Hermione felt the blood brain from her face as Professor McGonagall banged through Snape's door and into his room. He stopped midsentence in the lecture he was giving to some first years as the two women stood by the door.  
"Can I help you Professor?" He drawled not looking at Hermione.  
"Yes you can, get out in this hallway, right now!" Hermione looked shocked at hearing her head of house yell as was the rest of the room including Snape.  
"I am in the middle of a class at this moment, whatever your brat has done, it can wait." Snape snarled dangerously.  
Hermione felt herself bristle at his words but it was nothing compared to the woman standing to her right.  
"Class is dismissed for you, get out." She said and watched as the students looked between her and their now furious professor.  
"It is not your place to dismiss—" Snape started.  
"Fine then I will just take Miss Granger to the headmaster's office to show him the injuring she acquired in your class. I'm sure that upon further inspection it will be YOUR handprint that has now bruised this young woman's arm." Professor McGonagall looked furious.  
"Everybody GET OUT!" Roared Snape and his students ran to comply. After the last student had exited the room he slammed the door shut with a wave of his hands. "Leave Miss Granger here Minerva, I will take care of her."  
"You had better Severus or Merlin help you when I find out." McGonagall smiled at Hermione momentarily before striding out of the room.  
Once she was gone Hermione wanted to disappear into the wall but instead she looked down and was shocked to see a tiny pool of her blood on the floor. She suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded upon seeing the puddle so she stumbled over to a seat to sit down.  
Severus was staring at the girl in astonishment as she stumbled over to sit down. He saw the puddle of mud on the floor and her pale face before he growled. He walked towards her grabbed her arm and dragged her towards a door before his desk Hermione knew his quarters lay.  
"Sir, what—"  
"I won't have you dripping your blood all over my classroom, girl, I may let my students think I torture children but I don't."  
"Oh, right." Hermione said faintly her vision seemed to be getting fuzzy and blurry.  
"Sit here," Snape said pushing her into a chair but rather than her back against the chair it was her chest that was pressed against it. She felt his hands rip her shirt up away from the wound on her back and she hissed through her teeth when she felt something pressed to the wound.  
"Evenesco," Snape said softly as he siphoned the blood off her back and away from the wound. It was useless however because as soon as he cleared away the old blood new blood flooded from the wound. Hermione heard him whisper something and she jerked away as her lower back suddenly became white hot but as quickly as it started it was over.  
He began to clear away the blood again now that the wound was healed. He was quite surprised to see that it was as deep as it was because she hadn't said a word. It would scar but it wouldn't be very big, not that he cared if it scarred. He began to rub a pain relieving salve over her skin trying to ignore the softness of her skin under her fingers. Once he had done that he moved the chair to the right so that her bruised arm was in front of him. He placed his fingers over the bruises on her arm and saw that indeed his finger made a perfect match. He felt self-loathing and disgust well in him at seeing his handprint on the girl. He pulled out a bruise salve and began to rub the bruise keeping his head bowed making his hair cover his face.  
Hermione looked over at his head as he worked on her arm and had to resist the urge to pull his hair back from his face. She winced as he dug his fingers particularly hard into the bruise making sure the salve got rid of it all. Once he was done she looked down at her now bruise free arm then up at him. Their eyes met for the briefest moment before he jerked away from her, he vanished the blood on his hands and the salve.  
"Get out," Snape said in a low voice. She looked at him before she stood and hurried from the room away from him. Her mind went over the last 10 minutes and it shocked her that he had been so gentle while tending to her wounds. She shook her head as she exited the room looking back once to see him exiting his rooms and shutting the door. The look of self-loathing and disgust on his face made Hermione's heartache but she shut the door and walked towards her next class.


	5. A Spy's Orders

Hermione was confused as she walked into the Great Hall for dinner that night because of Snape's actions earlier. He had been so callous and mean but as soon as there was no one else around he was kind and gentle then resorted to being callous again. He was a paradox unlike anyone else she had ever met, and Hermione wasn't one for mysteries. She shrugged off the thoughts of her surly professor as she sat down at the Gryffindor table between Ron and Harry. She filled her plate with food and began eating as she turned her attention to the conversation going on around her.  
"I know mate but maybe there's an alternate explanation." Ron was saying to Harry.  
"What are you on about?" Hermione asked curiously.  
"Malfoy keeps disappearing off the map, like I'll see him walking along a passage but then poof, he's gone." Harry said quietly in a conspiratorial voice.  
"Not that again Harry," Hermione said in a whiny voice.  
"Listen, I know what I'm talking about I'm sick of no one else listening to me. Malfoy is up to something and I'm going to find out what it is." Harry said before he got up without eating and stormed up the hall.  
Hermione and Ron met each other's eyes before looking at their friends retreating back and standing up to follow him. A brewing Harry Potter was a dangerous thing, especially when he was alone. They caught up to him as he was heading to Gryffindor tower but didn't say anything to them because he was still upset. Ron suggested a game of chess as they climbed through the portrait hole and Harry grumbled his agreement. They sat down at a table; Hermione pulled out her DADA homework and got started as the boys played their game of chess. The common room slowly filled up and around 11:30 it emptied again as people went to bed. Hermione felt her eyelids begin to droop so she kissed Harry and Ron on the head before heading up to bed. As she pulled on her pajamas and climbed into bed a scratching noise at her door made her halt. The noise repeated itself and she walked over to the door to look out; but there was no one around. Just as she was about to shut the door a strangely familiar voice said "Hermione" and she looked down to see Griffin.  
She crouched down so she could whisper, "Griffin, what are you doing here?"  
"Severus is in trouble!" He ran off down the stairs before Hermione could answer. She silently summoned her wand while casting a disillusionment charm and took off after the animal. As she stepped out of the portrait hole she saw the creature waiting for her but when he saw her he ran off again in the direction of the dungeons. She burst through the classroom door straight towards the door she knew led to Snape's quarters and she felt a strange ripple of magic as she passed through his wards.  
She gasped as she entered his quarters and saw the man lying on the floor in a small puddle of blood. She quickly ran to get the potions she needed before rushing back to his side. His nose was bloodied and broken with a bruise spreading darkly across his face. His lip was split so severely it looked like it had been cut in half. He was curled in a fetus position which told her that he had broken ribs and perhaps internal bleeding. She siphoned the blood off his face to begin to heal his face; she gently rolled him on his back wincing when he groaned in pain. She uncorked a vial containing a pain killer and poured it down his throat. She grasped her wand and pointed it at his nose saying "episky" she cringed as his nose snapped back into place. She cast a diagnostic spell and awaited the results.  
Life Threatening Injuries: 3  
Punctured lung  
Concussion  
Internal Bleeding  
Non-Life Threatening Injuries: 20  
Bruises covering back and chest  
Sprained ankle  
Dislocated shoulder  
Cuts covering back  
Stab wound to thigh  
Broken fingers  
Hermione looked at the list in astonishment and shook her head as it faded away. She poured more pain killer down the man's throat before setting to heal his injuries. She uncorked a healing potion and poured the entire contents down his throat. She cleaned off the blood that was still on his face to examine the cuts there but deemed that after a quick healing spell they wouldn't scar. Her hands shook as she unbuttoned his shirt and almost cried out loud at the ravaged chest that met her gaze. She prodded the cuts healing them and cleaning the blood silently.  
Next she moved to his trousers which were torn and bloody, she vanished them leaving him in his boxers and trying not to notice. She inspected the cut on his thigh and received a groan of pain again from the man. It was quite deep so she poured a bit of healing potion on it then rubbed it with salve to keep it from scarring. She bit her lip when it was time to flip him over but she stood and levitated him into his bedroom turning him so he lay on his stomach. She debated for a moment before climbing to straddle his buttocks and grasping his shoulder she gave a sharp jerk hearing the sickening crunch as his shoulder popped back into place. She poured pain reliever salve on her hands then began to rub his shoulder and back. After she had liberally coated his back with pain killers she dipped her hands into the healing salve which she then applied onto his back. She tried to keep her mind from thinking about how intimate her position was but the thought popped up anyhow. As she climbed off him she saw Griffin watching her closely but she barely spared his a glance as she grasped his hand preparing to re-break the bones when she heard a groan and the man began to move. She froze as his body stiffened when he realized he was in his bed and also that he was not alone.  
Severus turned his head to see the face of the reason for his injuries. He felt his anger spike and jumped off the bed. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"  
"I brought her master, you were injured so I retrieved her," Griffin said as he slunk forward seeing the unease of the girls face.  
"You have no business—Why am I only wearing boxers?" He snarled angrily.  
"Um, you were injured so I had to remove your clothing to heal you, sir." Hermione said uncertainly keeping her eyes on the ground.  
"Get out Miss Granger; I do not want you here." Snape snapped at her.  
"Well that's tough shit sir, you have injuries that need to be mended so you can lie on the bed and let me finish or I will bind you and finish anyhow." Hermione said standing up so that Snape couldn't tower over her anymore. Though her head only came up to his chest and she had to tip her head back to look at his face.  
"Why you insolent little—"  
"Severus, just lay down please, she is almost done." Griffin interrupted as he ran over to the bed. He glared at his owner till he lay back down though he didn't do it quietly.  
"Irritating puff ball," Severus said fondly as his familiar lay down on his chest. He glared at the girl that was still standing next to his bed rigidly. "Well? What are you waiting for?"  
Hermione scowled at him but sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed his hand again. She jerked one of his fingers sharply without giving him any warning and felt the bones snap back in place.  
"Ah damn woman, be gentle." Snape roared as he snatched his hand away from her.  
Oh, I'm sorry professor, did that hurt? Good." Hermione simpered in a sickly sweet voice. She grabbed his hand back and re-broke all his fingers while he clenched his other fist into a tight ball though no sound escaped his mouth. After she was done she uncorked a vial and handed it to him watching as he sniffed it then threw it back. "As much as I would enjoy it, I'm not going to poison you."  
He glowered at her as he took the next vial she handed him, sniffing it; he determined that it was healing potion so he drank it.  
She stood up to walk to the end of the bed and dripped her hand in the healing salve to begin rubbing his ankle. She heard a groan from above her but when she jerked her head up it was to see that Snape had his eyes closed with a look of painful relief on his face. Once she was done she handed him the last vial, a dreamless potion, and watched as he took it.  
"Good night sir," She said quietly as his eyelids dropped closed. She waited until his breath evened out before pulling the covers over him and slipping out of the room.  
"Thank you," Griffin said through the darkness and she looked back in the direction of his voice before replying, "You're welcome."  
She walked back to Gryffindor Tower and collapsed in her bed in an exhausted heap.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus woke up the next morning with the knowledge that it was Saturday so he didn't make any move to get up. He flexed his hand and shoulder feeling extremely relieved to find that they weren't painful. The previous night came flooding back to his groggy mind and his relaxed face instantly scowled as he remembered the meeting.  
***FLASHBACK***  
He apparated to Malfoy Manor after receiving an urgent call from his master, as he entered the room where the death eaters were gathered he smelt something was up.   
"Ssseverussss, come." Voldemort had said to him.   
Severus had walked forward to kneel and kiss his masters hem before standing before the snake-like man.   
"We have a rat Sssseverussss, can you imagine who that isss?" Voldemort asked him.   
Severus tried not to pale as he said, "No my lord, who is it?"  
"Wormtail hasss proven where hisss loyaltiesss lie."   
Severus' heart slowed as he realized that it was not himself who was found out. "What do you require of me Master?"   
"Kill him Ssseverusss, you are my most faithful servant."   
Severus turned to kill Wormtail but was caught when Voldemort suddenly reached out to catch his sleeve. He looked down in horror at the blood that was just visible on his white sleeve under his robes. His blood ran cold as Voldemort raised the sleeve to his nose to sniff it.   
"Severussss, who's blood is this?"   
"It's the mudblood Granger's my lord, the stupid child injured herself in my class and was soiling my classroom with her blood. I healed her but unfortunately her blood got onto my person I was unable to change before you called." Severus lied quickly. He felt Voldemort shove himself into his mind and he pulled what he wanted to see for him.   
Voldemort chuckled as he watched Hermione fight the imperio curse then injure herself. Severus has fabricated the last part of the memory to show him berating her but as a master occlumens it was undetectable.   
"I see that you handled her well Ssseverusss, she seems like she could be an asset does she not? She is still innocent; I can smell it in her blood. Harry Potter will take it as a hard blow if his best friend is seen to be sleeping with his despised professor." Voldemort hissed.   
"She is a child my lord, a filthy mudblood child, my job as your spy could be jeopardized by fornicating with a student." Severus said quickly hoping that this deterred his master.   
"I will do it," Came a man's voice from behind him. He turned to see Draco Malfoy stepping forward to volunteer but he sneered at the boy before turning back to his master.   
"Miss Granger despises Malfoy Master; she'd sooner crawl into your bed then let Malfoy near her." Severus said with contempt in his voice. He knew the type of men the Malfoy's were and cringed inwardly at the brutality that she would be succumbed to.   
"Enough!" Voldemort hissed out as Draco made to argue. "Severus, you will do it. You will break her."   
"But my lord," Sssseverus began before he felt his consciousness explode with pain.   
***End Flashback***  
He had been ordered to break the girl, to bring her to heel under his control. He hoped that the girl was a better student at Occlumency than her friend otherwise they were both dead.


	6. A Spy's Discovery

Hermione walked into the Great Hall at lunch with Harry and immediately saw Ron with his face stuck to Lavender. Her appetite left her instantly so she told Harry she was going to go study in the library instead of try to digest her food with slurping noises. Her mind was somewhere else as she made the familiar path to the library causing her inattention to result in bumping into someone. She kept her feet but stumbled back a few steps.  
"Ow!" She said as she felt a stabbing pain shoot through her chest.  
"Miss Granger," she heard in a familiar voice and as she looked up she saw herself staring into the eyes of her Professor Snape.  
"Sorry Professor! My mind was elsewhere and it was completely—" She rushed out but stopped when he put his hand up.  
"I need you to accompany me to the Head Master's office," Snape said in a flat voice.  
"Um-yes sir."  
The pair of them walked in silence to the gargoyle in front of the headmaster's study not speaking but the silence wasn't unpleasant either. His pace was slightly slower so she could keep up something that was both surprising to her but made her grateful.  
"Jelly Beans," Snape gave the password and waited till the statue moved then led the way up the winding staircase. He pushed the door open but held it open so she could enter first, another thing that surprised him.  
"Ah Miss Granger, I'm glad you're able to join us. I suppose you are wondering why Severus brought you here." Albus Dumbledore said in a kind voice. "Jelly bean? They are the most unusual muggle candy much like Bertie Botts but I like these much better." He held the dish out to each of them in turn but both refused with "no thank you".  
"Is everything alright headmaster?" Hermione asked once Dumbledore had set the tray back down.  
"I'm afraid that is entirely up to you my dear," he responded in a kind voice.  
"Okay, well I will try to be cooperative or help in any way I can," She said trying to keep the uncertainty out of her voice.  
"Severus has been given orders by Voldemort to bring a young woman under his control; to be his mistress and slave of sorts if you will. Severus has been spying for me against Voldemort for a little over 20 years now since the first Wizarding war. You are that woman Hermione, Voldemort seems to think that if Severus can break you for his use then it will leave Harry vulnerable." Albus said in a sad voice, his eyes devoid of all twinkle.  
Hermione stared at the old man across from her as she took in his words. The ones that kept echoing in her ears however were "slave" and "mistress". She had read of course all about what kinds of actions and abuse these types of people were put under and she felt for the first time, very un-Gryffindor.  
"Um…" Hermione began but she was interrupted by Snape.  
"You don't have much of a choice in this Miss Granger because you either agree or he will kill me, you, and everyone you love." Snape said in a flat voice again devoid of emotion.  
"I refuse to be some sort of sex servant to my professor, Professor Dumbledore; I am a virgin and will remain that way until I so chose to change it. End of story." Hermione said with steely determination.  
"Oh child, that would not happen in this school ever. No, we have a much easier and better way to take care of that." Albus said with a chuckle. "You are, I'm sure, aware of Occlumency?"  
Hermione nodded her head at the question now curious and confused. "How will that help me, professor?"  
"You will study Occlumency with Severus here, as an extra credit course, that way you will be able to block Voldemort's assault against your mind but also will learn to fabricate memories. No one in this school is better suited to fit you than Severus is."  
Hermione thought about this and felt herself grow excited at the prospect of learning such a unique skill. "Okay sir, is that all?"  
"Not quite Miss Granger, we still need to make some agreements and such you understand." Albus said to the girl. "You will have to take the unbreakable vow, that way no one can get you talking about it even with Veritaserum except Severus himself. This will be slightly different however because we will need it also for me so in the case that Severus is unable to report to me, you can bring me the message."  
Hermione stared at the headmaster and her potions professor with an alarmed look on her face. She knew that you couldn't break an Unbreakable Vow or else you would die immediately. There was also no way to break it which meant that Hermione would be stuck for the information for the rest of her life or at least until Snape died. She swallowed against the lump that had swelled in her throat as she tried to think of something to say. "How will I know that I will be safe Professor? How do I even know that he will protect me at all? Why should he protect me when he could just throw me to Lord Voldemort, it's not as though he cares about me?" Hermione questioned but the headmaster just shook his head at her.  
"You and he will have to work out the details my dear, for from this moment on you are completely in his hands." Albus said. He stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of her. "I know that this is a lot to take in and I can certainly understand if you're scared but this is for the greater good."  
Hermione nodded again and reached her hand out to put it in Dumbledore's outstretched one. He smiled at her kindly as Snape also put his hand on theirs. A few minutes last and the vow was taken, making Hermione feel very much like she had just signed her soul to the devil. As she left the office with Snape she realized that more or less, she just did.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus led the way from Dumbledore's study to his own quarters where they would go over the details and she would, undoubtedly, question him. He loathed the fact that he now had to protect the bloody Gryffindor know-it-all but he supposed it was better than Potter or Weasley. He opened the doors to his quarters and waited for her to enter before following her. He quickly warded the doors to alert him to visitors and told her to sit in one of the chairs.  
"I'm sure you have questions, as you can barely keep from asking them during classes." He said with his familiar sneer in his voice.  
"Wow sir, we're off to such a good start already. I can really see that you don't hate me, here I was worrying." The chit snapped at him and he almost smirked when her tone resembled the one he used so often.  
"I do not hate you Miss Granger, if I did I assure you, you would be in front of the Dark Lord and dead." He answered her as he poured himself a small drink of Ogden's finest. "What are your questions, this is the one and only time I will answer any questions you have?"  
"Why does Voldemort want me as your slave?" She asked and he had to hide his surprise at the logic of the question.  
"You are close to Potter and one of the people he relies on. With the death of Black last summer you can see why losing his best friend would be another blow. It may even be the one that breaks the camel's back so to speak. The fact that I am the reason for his parent's death will make that blow even worse when he finds out." He said in a bored voice.  
"How were you responsible for their deaths, sir?"  
"I overheard a prophecy being told to the Dark Lord many years ago; I hurried to tell my master because at the time I was a loyal servant. It wasn't until later that I realized that he though the prophecy was about the Potters."  
"Will you protect me? Even against your friends?" She said with a flicker of fear evident in her eyes.  
"You will find that not all things are as they seem but yes, I will protect you. I have," Severus pulled out the bracelet that he had had made specifically for the purpose. "A bracelet that you must wear at all times. Only myself and you will be able to remove the bracelet but I urge you not to do so. If you are in trouble you will be able to communicate with me, they are enchanted. They have been charmed so that when you are in danger mine will burn hot alerting me. Yours will do the same; we will be able to communicate using these." Severus pointed his wand at her bracelet and it fit itself to her wrist. He then pointed his wand at his own bracelet and thought the message he wanted to send.  
He heard her hiss as the bracelet grew hot but as soon as she touched it to read the message the burning stopped. She looked up at him in a mixture of surprise and amazement.  
"These are… brilliant sir, I like it." She said.  
"I did not purchase them thinking of whether you like it or not so it matters not to me," Severus sneered again and watched her turn red with satisfaction.  
"Of course sir," Hermione said to him. She was still staring at the bracelet in wonder but she asked, "How do I write on it?"  
"It is a protean charm of sorts, so you need only point your wand at it and say or think the words you wish to write."  
Hermione nodded before pointing her wand at her bracelet. He jerked his arm up when his own burned hot and saw her message of "yes sir".  
"These are not toys Miss Granger; you will use them only to contact me when absolutely necessary. No other times are you to use it, understand?" She nodded her head again and he said, "Good, now our Occlumency lesson with begin."  
Hermione sat up straighter and jumped slightly when he said "Legilimens". She instantly saw her thoughts and memories from her life flashing by faster than she could make out. She tried to protect her mind but she knew it wasn't working because he didn't stop his process.  
He broke the spell and sighed, "You are not starting off very well Miss Granger, I thought you said you knew about Occlumency."  
"I've read about it professor, but reading and practicing are completely separate."  
"Clear you mind of emotions and thought, let it go blank." He waited for her to nod before saying "Legilimens" again.  
He was again walking through her mind with ease and seeing all her memories. He felt her emotions flow through him from her brain and broke the spell again with annoyance. "Miss Granger, are you even trying?"  
"I don't know what to do Professor, perhaps you should teach me, that is your job." She spat at him in equal annoyance.  
"You have to put your thought, feelings, and memories away where I can't find them. Lock them away in a box if you will, so that I cannot access them."  
She looked at him for a minute before closing her eyes blocking out the room. She heard him begin to speak but she held up a finger to indicate he give her a moment. She imagined a large box in her mind and tried to empty everything into it. She opened her eyes and nodded again.  
Severus said "Legilimens" again but this time he wasn't met by her mind. This time he was standing in a completely white room with a box in front of him. He smirked at the box and walked over to it, easily opening the lid and accessing her mind completely. He broke the spell and said, "Better, but I was still able to access your mind through the box. It needs to be stronger and less easy to access."  
She nodded and switched tactics, this time she imagined a dresser with over a hundred drawers once she felt confident that she had it she nodded to him again.  
"Legilimens."  
He was standing in the white room again but instead of a box there was a dresser, he walked over to it to open the first drawer. It wouldn't budge open so he tried harder, again it wouldn't open. He went to the next drawer, then the next, then the next. After the ninth drawer he finally decided to break the spell.  
"Better but you are using a crude way, there needs to be a wall that blocks even the dresser from my assault."  
Hermione rolled her eyes feeling as if he would never tell her good job. She suddenly felt very tired and she had the start of a headache at the base of her skull.  
"Enough for today, come down here tomorrow after dinner and we will trying again. You have a week to master this before we will most likely have to go before the Dark Lord. You need to be prepared."  
"How long did it take you to master it, sir?" Hermione asked with her curiosity getting the best of her.  
"About 5 years Miss Granger," Snape said in a bored voice.  
"How do you expect me to master something in a week you weren't even able to master for 5 years? That is absolutely unfair and impossible." Hermione said with indignation.  
"You are younger than I was and so more able to master it more quickly. You do not have a choice Miss Granger; the Dark Lord will riffle through your mind bringing forward even the most secret things. He will not be gently of the invasion either, he will shove himself into your mind to find the information he wants."  
"Bloody git," She mumbled quietly and Severus smirked.  
"Yes well, don't say that to his face. Now go away, you're starting to grate on my nerves."  
Hermione rolled her eyes and gave him a dirty look as she stood then turned and left his sitting room.  
The next night Hermione headed down to his quarters had half eight, she had been saved from answering any questions because Ron had his face stuck to Lavender's and Harry was playing chess with Ginny. She knocked on his door then entered when she was told; she walked into the room and took the chair she had been occupying the day before.  
Before she could fully sit though, he was saying "Legilimens". It took her around 3 minutes to effectively stop his assault on her mind and when he broke the spell he was looking at her in irritation.  
"You have to be ready all the time, it's best if you keep your blocks up permanently. Any one at any time can flit through your mind to find information. Try again, Legilimens."  
He found himself standing in front of a wall that said, "Do no enter" and he almost laughed. It was still a crude way to do it but it was an improvement. He searched the wall for cracks and finally found one, he focused on that crack and soon her wall was crumbling. He decided to explore a little to see if she could retain her blocks. He traveled from one memory to the next but as he came to one he found himself thrown out her mind. He stumbled back a few feet away from her at the force of her spell and felt himself get angry.  
"You are not supposed to use magic to remove me from your mind Miss Granger, control yourself."  
"I'm trying professor," She snapped as her breath slowed down. She had seen the memory he was going after and she felt horror at him discovering it.  
"What was the memory you hid?" He asked.  
"None of your business." She replied.  
"Legilimens."  
He immediately found the memory again and this time she didn't use magic to expel him. He watched in outrage as he saw a young Miss Granger being abused by an uncle. She was screaming at the top of her lungs telling him to stop but he torn into her body with such force that the girl began to bleed instantly. He had brutally taken her virginity from her and it wasn't the first time. The memory was followed by another with the same actions, then another, then another until he came to a memory that showed Hermione standing over the man with a bloody knife in her hand. The man was lying dead on the floor and there was no remorse in her face.  
He pulled out of her mind to see that she had tears of rage and hurt in her eyes. Her nose was bleeding from the force he had used on her mind and he instantly felt her anger coursing from her.  
"You bastard, you absolutely horrible heartless bastard; I hate you." She jumped up from the chair and ran out of the room with tears streaming down her face as Severus stayed where he was sitting. He felt his own anger course through his body, not at the witch now running from his quarters crying, but at the horrible things she had been put through. Much more about Hermione Granger made sense now that he had seen her memories but what he couldn't work out was why he had seen a Dark Mark on the man that had abused her.


	7. Rescued By A Spy

Severus apparated to Malfoy Manor with an excellent plan that he hoped would work. He had waited all of 30 minutes after Miss Granger had left before his brain started working, and fast. He walked into the Library where Voldemort was sitting with Nagini and immediately bowed before him.

"Ssseverus, what a sssurprissee to sseee you without being called." His master hissed over his head. "Sstand."

Severus stood and began his plan, "I have broken the mudblood my lord, and she is no longer innocent."

Voldemort's red eyes met black and Severus felt him slip into his mind, he replayed the memory that he had seen of Hermione's. All you could hear and see what the bushy hair, the dark mark, and her screaming. Voldemort played and replayed the memory a few times before he pulled out of Severus' mind.

"You are very brutal Ssseveruss, I sssee that you have done well. How long will it take before sshe isss fully under your control?"

"That still has to be determined my lord, she will likely not be very willing to come to me but she will not go to the old man for the embarrassment." Severus said thinking quickly.

"Very well, do no fail with thisss Ssseverus, I want her in your pocket before the New Year. I don't care what you have to do."

Severus nodded his head and bowed again before Voldemort waved his hand dismissing him. He headed back to the apparition point but changed courses first, time to see which death eater was really involved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She couldn't believe him. She could not believe that he had gone after the memory even after she had said no. It was like getting raped over again except this time it was her mind that had gotten raped. Would he tell Dumbledore about the memory? She would get in trouble for lying but at least he would know and understand her reasoning behind it. She had been about to enter the portrait to Gryffindor common room but turned and ran back up the corridor. She flew up the winding staircase that led to the headmasters study and into the room without stopping.

"Professor Dumbledore, I have to talk to—" Hermione's voice died when she saw that Snape and Dumbledore were already in the office. Her anger came back two fold and she literally started shaking with anger. "So I see that you're already here telling him?" She spat at the dark haired man standing to her right. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dumbledore looked taken aback by the venom in her voice.

"Yes, Miss Granger—"

"You son of a bitch," Was all she said before her Professor turned and backed her against the wall.

"You seem to think that the vow you took means that you can say whatever you want to me, let me clear that notion now. I am still your professor and you are still my student. Remember that the next time you feel the urge to cuss in my presence. 50 points from Gryffindor for you lack of respect."

Hermione shoved his shoulders when he said the last part, "Respect? You want respect? You do not deserve any respect you arse. You shoved yourself through my mind and basically raped me AGAIN just to retrieve that memory. So why don't you go find a dictionary to look up the word respect before you start throwing around that I need to learn some!" She snarled at him.

She watched in triumph as his face paled at her accusation but turned back to Dumbledore; she had actually forgotten that the man was in the room. He was sitting behind his desk looking around the room and whistling a familiar sounding tune.

"Sorry Professor, I shouldn't have said that in front of you." Hermione apologized feeling ashamed.

"Oh, I wasn't listening, what was said?" He said looking around at the pair of them with twinkling eyes. "Perhaps you should allow Severus to explain Miss Granger, and then we can go from there?"

Hermione nodded at him and sat down to listen to Snape's explanation though it probably wouldn't change her mind.

"Miss Granger had a memory that she didn't allow me to look at so I pressed and found that she is indeed not a virgin," He stopped here and threw a triumphant sneer at her. "It was of her being abused by a man, not just any man but by a Death Eater. I know he was a death eater because he had the Dark Mark. I took that memory to Voldemort and showed it to him, which when he saw the Dark Mark he thought it was me. Therefore, I have made him believe that I have taken Miss Granger's innocence and have now broken her." Snape said in a bored voice.

Hermione sat where she was frozen in fear and shame when she felt tears well in her eyes again and stream down her face. She quietly cried while the two men in the room talked completely oblivious to her not that she minded.

"Miss Granger," said Dumbledore's kind voice. "Look at me child."

Hermione raised her face a centimeter to look at the man and saw a sympathetic expression on his face.

"Do not be ashamed my child, I understand your reasons behind lying fully and am not upset in the slightest. At least not about that my dear, your innocence was taken at a young age but that does not mean that you are not innocent." His calm voice worked like a soothing draught on Hermione's nerves and she nodded. "Why don't you go to bed and get some sleep? Tomorrow will look brighter after a good night sleep."

"Yes sir," Hermione said standing and leaving the room. She had barely gotten to the bottom of the staircase however, when she saw Draco Malfoy and his two cronies walking towards her.

"If it isn't the mudblood and all alone too," Malfoy said in his usual sneer. "Let's see what Snape saw in your body." He nodded his head at her and Crabbe and Goyle who strolled forward to grab her.

Hermione fought against their hands but felt herself being dragged down the corridor and out of sight. She was suddenly thrown against a wall and felt hands tearing at her clothes. A hand came up to cover her mouth just as she had pulled air into her lungs to scream. A flash of gold caught her attention and she looked down to see the bracelet that Snape had attached to her wrist. She couldn't reach her wand but she focused on the bracelet hoping it worked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus had been leaving the headmasters office when his wrist burn hot, he jerked his arm up to touch the bracelet fastened there. He saw "help" and he had been about to send back a message when he heard shuffling in a side corridor. He quickly rushed there and froze at the sight before him. Malfoy and his cronies were holding down a girl, he assumed was Hermione, and trying to get her skirt up.

"What is going on here?" He said trying to keep his voice even. The boys jumped away from the girl and he saw her face. A swirl of nausea went through him; she had a black eye and a split lip. She had cuts on her thighs that one of the boys had made and she seemed to be unconscious. "Get out of here now! You could have been caught by the Headmaster; you cannot afford to get kicked out of school because of this Draco. You know the Dark Lord's orders, now move!" He waited until the boys were out of sight before he bent to pick up the girl.

He headed down to his quarters carrying the girl and thankfully he came across no people. He laid her gently on his bed once he had entered before immediately leaving to grab vials from his storeroom. He waved his hand over her face to take care of the swelling but she was still left with a brilliantly bright eye. He lifted her head gently and pulled the cork of with his teeth then poured the contents down her throat; he massaged her throat in an effort to get her to swallow and sighed when she did. The bruised eye faded almost completely as the potion reached her system.

He sat uncertainly for a moment before moving down to tend to her cut thighs. He lifted her ripped and bloody skirt away from her thighs to inspect the damage. He kept his mind firmly away from how smooth her thighs felt as he healed the cuts. Once they were mostly healed he dipped his fingers in a healing salve and rubbed it into the skin. He steeled himself for his next task as he pulled her skirt from her body gently. She didn't have any underwear on which would make his job easier but he was met with her lightly covered womanhood. He wanted someone to come in and Avada him right then but knew that no one was coming. He gently pulled her nether lips apart to check for any damage but was pleased to see that there was none. He quickly pulled his hands away and covered her up with his thick blanket. She moved then but only to turn on her side and snuggle into his bed which made him smirk with humor.

He grabbed his mask and robes then pressed his wand to his mark immediately appearing in front of the Dark Lord.

"Ssseverusss, twice in one night, this better be good." His master's voice said with annoyance.

"My lord, how am I to get the girl to trust me when your junior death eaters do not leave her alone? I just ran across Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goygle trying to rape her in the corridor by the old man's office. If I am to do this she needs to not be touched my lord. I told her that while she was my slave no one would touch her and now this. I will be very lucky if when she awakes she comes near me at all." Severus said hoping that he didn't overstep his place.

"I will deal with the othersss, they were told to leave the chit alone but clearly they need a reminder. She suffered no serious injuries I assume?"

"Only the ones they did to her mind my lord."

"Very well, heal her and get her back into your pocket. I will deal with the others."

Severus nodded his head then left. When he was back in his quarters he saw the girl was still there but now Griffin was snuggled with her his head sticking out of the blankets close to hers. He smiled at the sight slightly before he went to take a shower and go to bed. A lot had happened in one night and he was tired to the bone.

He opened his eyes a little time later to see his familiar sitting on his chest. "What do you want pest?"

"There is a girl in your bed Severus, the girl that heals you."

"Really? Imagine that."

"Why is she here Severus?" Griffin asked as he rubbed his face against his owner's cheek.

"She was injured last night and I brought her here to heal her."

"You care for her." It wasn't a question, more a blind statement.

"I do not, she is vital to the Dark Lord's plan, her death would mean mine. You would have no one to feed you strips of chocolate."

"You cannot lie to me Severus, you care for the girl. I can see it."

"The only thing you can see if a tired man that is going to pluck his familiar if he doesn't go back to sleep." Severus said on a growl. He watched as Griffin gave him a searching look then went back to the bed and curled up next to the sleeping girl.

Severus looked at the pair of them sleeping and felt a layer of ice that surrounded his heart melt. He did not care for the girl; he tried to convince himself as he slipped back into the world of dreams.


	8. Trusting a Spy

Hermione stretched as she woke the next morning feeling groggy but very relaxed. She rolled over to bury her face in her pillow but instead of smelling her vanilla shampoo she smelled spicy herbs and something distinctly male. She bolted up quickly and looked around; she was in Snape's quarters and more specifically in his bed. She made to get up but she felt extremely dizzy and would have fallen if it wasn't for a set of strong arms wrapping around her.

"Miss Granger, I did not heal you so you could injure yourself again," she jerked her head up to see her Professor holding her upright. He helped her over to the bed again then helped her back under the covers.

"You-you-I'm-but," Hermione tried to talk but her tongue didn't seem to be working.

"Eloquent as ever Miss Granger," He smirked at her. He handed her two vials which she sniffed then drank instantly feeling her stomach settle and her head stop throbbing.

"Why am I here?" She asked after she drank the foul tasting potions.

"You were injured last night so I brought you here to heal you." He replied.

"No, why am I here? In your bed?" She prodded him further and saw his eyes flash with some unregistered emotion before they went back to their cold look.

"I was not going to be seen carrying a student, a female student no less, through the school. Especially a Gryffindor. Now, this is a dreamless sleep if you need it; you are excused from lessons today so you may take the day to rest. However, my quarters are not where you need to be resting. The shower is through that door you are welcome to use it. You have an hour to leave." He said this and then turned to walk out the door.

Hermione stared after him in a mixture of amusement and confusion. A purring noise made her turn to see Griffin walking across the bed towards her.

"He cares you know," He said without any preamble.

"I'm not so sure he does Griffin, he's a mysterious man." Hermione said reaching for the food Snape had brought in. She saw that it held all of her favorite foods and she smiled at the thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus returned from breakfast to see that she had made his bed and left a quick thank you note on his pillows. He walked into the bathroom to make sure that everything was in order and was assaulted by her scent. He couldn't help but to breathe in the smell as he stood there in his bathroom; it smelled like vanilla and a faint trace of girl. No, she's not a girl anymore Severus, she's a woman. He had seen the proof last night not that he needed any after he had seen her memories. He shook his head viciously to clear the thoughts and walked out of his quarters to teach his first class of the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione slept soundly until late in the afternoon, she woke up to her stomach growling so she got dressed in her school uniform to head down to dinner. She walked into the Great Hall determined not to look over at the Slytherin table but as she sat down next to Harry she realized that she'd have to give them some explanation.

"Where've you been?" Harry asked as he poured her some pumpkin juice.

"Sick, went to Madame Pomfrey but she told me I just needed some rest so she had Dumbledore excuse me from classes." Hermione lied easily and wondered when she had become such a seamless liar.

"Okay, well glad you're feeling better," Harry said without another word. Dinner passed easily as they talked about what she had missed that day. They were headed up to the common room when she felt her bracelet burn hot she inconspicuously looked at it to see the message "he called " written there. She sent back "be careful" before turning her attention back to the conversation the boys were having. She didn't feel as happy anymore though, knowing that Snape was once again going into danger. "Why do you care Hermione?" She thought to herself but merely replied that she didn't care whatsoever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus entered the room where the Death Eaters were gathered and saw that Voldemort already had three people on the floor in front of him. As he took his place in the ranks he realized that the three people were none other than Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle.

"Ah Ssseveruss, glad you could make it. Step forward please," Voldemort hissed and Severus complied immediately. He began to bow but Voldemort stopped him with a wave of his hand. "No need for that Ssseverusss, I know where your loyalties lie."

Severus nodded and waited for the man, if you could call him that, to begin speaking.

"I have given Ssseverus a task, one that is of the upmost importance, but he will not succeed if my followers do not allow him to do his job. These three boys in front of me decided to play with Sseveruss plaything, resulting in quite a few injuries am I correct?"

"Yes my lord. She suffered from blood loss, cut thighs, and a few other injuries which I will not disclose."

Voldemort searched his mind to see the injuries and his eyes flashed dangerously when he saw the state the girl had been in.

"His mudblood is not to be touched, by anyone; these three boys will learn that they are not to do anything without the explicit permission." He pointed his wand at the figures on the ground that instantly began to writhe and scream out in pain. This lasted for less than a minute before he called off the curse. "You have been punished, but in case you get any more ideas to touch the girl, every time you attempt to you will feel excruciating pain." He waved his hand at the figures and their bodies' glowed purple for a moment before the light faded. "Dismissed, Severus stay please."

Severus hung back as the other Death Eaters filed out around him. Three of the male Death Eaters threw him looks of death but knew better than to attack around their master. Once they were gone and the door had shut Voldemort turned to him. He felt him try to enter his mind so he pulled forward the last few memories he had acquired since the last meeting.

"How are things with the girl Severus? Any headway?"

"Not since last meeting my lord, the injuries she sustained has made her very unwilling to be touched which is not uncommon in abused women. I will have her back in my pocket soon though, mudblood's are far too easy to manipulate."

"Any news from the order?" Voldemort hissed at him.

"Dumbledore appears to be giving Potter private lessons but I am unsure of their nature yet. I have planned to talk to the girl for her to find out for me. She is close to Potter which means that she can gather information more easily than I."

"Good, this is important Ssseverus, do not fail me."

"I won't my lord."

The figure waved his hand in clear dismissal and Severus bowed before he back out of the room. He was quite shocked that he hadn't been injured in the meeting but thankful all the same. As he neared the apparition point however he felt hands suddenly wrap themselves around his neck.

"You may have the Dark Lord convinced that you are his loyal servant but before this war is over I will kill you," Lucius' voice hissed in his ear.

Severus stood there struggling against his hands until he reared his hand back to punch the man in the jaw. This resulted in him letting go of Severus and stumbling back, Severus rubbed his throat and spat on the ground. "Before this war is over Lucius, you will be dead." He turned on the spot with his threat hanging in the air and disapparated to Hogwarts gate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione had just been about to tip her dreamless sleep into her mouth when she felt her bracelet grow hot. She quickly touched it to see Snape's message telling her to get to the dungoens. She grabbed warm clothes and pulled them on before leaving the dorm quickly. She cast a disillusionment spell on herself as she entered the common room but found it empty; she slipped out of the portrait hole and ran stealthily down the corridor. She kept to the shadows for most of the way until she could safely be sure that she wouldn't run into Flich or Mrs. Norris. She walked into Snape's quarters to see him standing with his back to her in front of the fire. She rushed over to him quickly but didn't see any blood or injuries.

"Sir?" She asked in a slightly wary voice.

"Miss Granger, you do not have to worry any longer about Malfoy bothering you. The Dark Lord took care of them, so you are safe." Snape said without turning around.

"Why—why would he do that?"

He finally turned around and Hermione saw that he had bruises on his neck that looked familiarly like hands. She instantly grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the couch before pushing him onto it like a child. She rushed to get some bruise salve and darted back over to him; she gently tipped his head back to get a better look at his neck.

"Is this really necessary Miss Granger?"

She began to rub his neck with the salve and answered, "Yes sir."

Severus felt the gentleness in her fingers as she healed the bruises on his neck and he glanced down to look at her. She had a concentrated look on her face as she made sure that she got the entire bruise. He could smell the vanilla shampoo that she used and her hair had swung forward to tickle his arm. He clenched his fist to keep himself from grabbing her hair to pull it back and just as he thought he would snap she stepped away.

"All done, it's still a tiny bit darker than the rest of your skin but with your high collar it won't show." Hermione said as she cleaned away the salve on her hands. "Now, why did Voldemort punish Malfoy to stay away from me?"

"You are supposed to be my slave Miss Granger, which means that I alone am allowed to touch you. I am supposed to protect you and keep you out of danger because you are no use to me or the Dark Lord while dead." He explained in a flat almost bored tone. Hermione nodded her understanding seeing the reason for the punishment and was secretly very thankful that she was safe.

"Is that all Professor? It is sort of late and I have class tomorrow," Hermione said quietly.

"Legilimens." Snape said without any warning.

She felt him get into her mind before she had a chance to throw her blocks up but once she had he found himself facing a large brick wall like before. He walked up and down the wall looking for cracks in the barrier but could not find any. He slipped out of her mind slightly and felt her let her blocks down but he was in again before she could react. The first memory that came to her mind was the one of the night before with Malfoy. He watched as she exited the stairwell to be met by Malfoy then watched as they dragged her off. He felt himself being forcefully pushed from her mind and when he saw her face it was to find that she was pale as a sheet.

"Why did you not go back up the stairs or use your wand Miss Granger?" Snape asked her.

"I-I don't know. I was so scared that my brain went blank." Hermione answered feeling ashamed at her foolishness. She had gone over the same thing that day at dinner but she couldn't come up with any other answer. She felt tears well in her eyes again but tried to keep them from spilling down her cheeks.

Severus saw her face turn red from shame and knew that she was fighting tears by the way her shoulders shook. He leaned forward on the couch and put his hand under her chin so that her eyes met his. "There is no reason to be ashamed Miss Granger, it happens many times to many witches and wizards."

Hermione looked at his eyes and didn't see the coldness she was used to. She searched his features; his cheekbones were well defined and she could see the start of a shadow on his face where he shaved. His eyes were not black as he thought but rather a very dark brown standing this close she could just make out the different color from his pupil and irises. Her hand came up to touch his cheek and she felt the roughness of his stubble under her palm making goose bumps flare on her arm. Her thumb found its way over to his lips and she ran it across them amazed by the softness of them. His eyes had fluttered shut with her caress but the sound of the floor broke the calm trance.

He slapped her hand away and pushed her back away from him, "20 points from Gryffindor Miss Granger, for taking such liberties with a professor." His eyes were ice cold again but his face held tinges of pink as he walked over to the Floo. "Go back to bed; I do not require your presence anymore."

Hermione felt taken aback at his sudden change of demeanor but quickly left his office. She didn't understand how he could go from being so human-like, almost nice, to being the bastard she had always known. When she had touched his face he had turned his head into the touch as if he was starving for human contact. Which he probably is she mused as her feet blindly carried her towards Gryffindor tower, she entered through the portrait hole ignoring the grumbling Fat Lady, and fell on her bed after taking some dreamless sleep. The last thought in her mind was convincing herself that she did not care about Snape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus bid Dumbledore goodnight after discussing the meeting but he did not go to bed. He grabbed a tumbler and filled it with a healthy serving of mead. He swirled the contents as he mused over the situation he had found himself in. Griffin jumped onto his lap to stare at his owner but noticed that his eyes were very far away. Back to the time where the mark on his arm was new and the girl that plagued him was a redhead, not a brunette. Griffin knew that his owner was confused about feeling such emotions again but he hoped that the man would eventually learn. He had been lonely for far too long with only him as company. He had a feeling that the girl would give him a run for his money which was just what he needed. He needed someone that could make him forget all his self-loathing and his hatred. He raised his head to butt it against the man to wake him from his slumber and Severus stood with Griffin in his arms. He walked into his bedroom and with a quick wave of his hand he was naked, he got into bed and was asleep before Griffin had even lain down.


	9. A Spy's Insults

Hermione hadn't seen Snape since the night before as he wasn't at breakfast, lunch, or at dinner. It was as she was walking down to his dungeons that she became nervous about entering his classroom. He had seemed so angry with her the night before after the Floo had broken their moment. Not that you could really consider it a moment but it had seemed like a moment to her. Perhaps it wasn't though, maybe it was all in her head, and maybe she imagined him leaning into her touch. She knocked on the door and waited for the voice to bid her to enter.

"Professor Snape?"

"We'll be heading to the Room of Requirement to practice your dueling." He said without any preamble and rapped her head to disillusion her. They walked in silence to the seventh floor but they met no one, they entered the RoR to see that there were pads to spar on and there were dueling rings.

"Make yourself comfortable Miss Granger; we will be working up a sweat." Snape said while he was taking his robes off leaving only his undershirt and trousers left.

Hermione tried not to stare as she transfigured her school uniform into a pair of workout shorts and sports bra. She felt kind of awkward being in such skimpy clothing in front of a professor but when they began to warm up she was thankful for the room to move.

Severus was trying not to stare at Hermione as she sparred with a dummy the room had provided for them. Her shorts showed off her long toned legs and her butt, when she bent over he could see the tiniest hint of her butt cheeks. She was wearing some sort of half-shirt which left her entire torso uncovered; he watched the muscles in her back move as she dueled with grace. Her stomach was flat and toned with dark skin that made him think that she probably sunbathed. Her hair was pulled up into a high messy bun leaving her elegant neck bare and he wondered what the skin there would taste like. 'Snap out of it Severus you pervert, she's your student and not interested in you. Not that you care.' Severus sneered and walked over to where she was dueling.

"Let's see if you're up to the challenge of dueling me Miss Granger," He said with a clear challenge in his voice.

"Bring it on, Professor." Hermione said as she faced him. He had been sparring with his own dummy which had caused him to work up a sweat. He had rolled his sleeve us to reveal firm muscular forearms and his sweat made his white shirt see through leaving nothing under it to the imagination.

They faced each other as they prepared to duel, she was just getting ready when he set the first hex and she barely had time to shield herself before he was sending more hexes. After 5 minutes of straight hexing her he stopped with a huff of annoyance.

"You cannot simple defect my hexes Miss Granger, you need to fight back." These words barely left his mouth when she sent a stinging hex at him. He flicked his wand lazily with an ease Hermione was instantly jealous of.

He sent a hex at her she focused at held her hand up to block the hex while she flicked her wand sending a jelly-legs hex back to him. He blocked the hex again sending a tickling hex at her. Again she blocked with her hand and retaliated with her wand.

"Sectumsempa! Expeliarmus!" He yelled and she blocked the first one but felt her wand fly out of her hand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" He yelled as he caught her wand but her hand blocked the curse and relying on hope only she yelled "Bummis Terra!"

She was shocked when the spell shot out of her hand towards an equally shocked Snape who deflected the spell all the same.

"Miss Ganger, when have you been able to do Wandless Magic?" Snape asked sounding almost angry.

"Just-just now sir, I haven't ever done it before now," Hermione said in a shaking voice both from shock and exhaustion. She felt like she had just run a marathon and hadn't slept in a month.

Snape walked over to her as she began to sway on her feet, he shoved a bottle of water and Pepper Up potion into her hands. "Not very many people, let alone students, can do it. It takes lots of practice and skill to be able to do even the simplest spells."

Hermione choked on her water when she heard him say this, "Did you just compliment me?"

"I did no such thing, what a ridiculous idea," Snape said as he abruptly stood up. "I would never compliment a Gryffindor in my entire life."

"Except Lily," Hermione mumbled but as she saw her professor freeze she knew that she didn't say it quietly enough.

"What did you say?" Severus asked as his blood ran cold. "How did you know about that? Did Potter tell you?" He had kneeled in front of her and hand her arm in his hand in a bruising hold.

"No-no sir, you talk in your sleep," Hermione said trying to pull her arm from Snape's grasp.

"You may think that you a special Miss Granger but let me put those thoughts to bed. You are not special, nor will you ever EVER be as important to me as her. You are like the dirt under her shoes because of your assumption that you know everything about everyone." Snape snarled at her and she felt tears well in her eyes. "You are nothing, NOTHING to me compared to her; do not ever compare yourself to her in my presence."

Severus was breathing hard and his vision had gone red at the simple statement that this foolish child had said. He saw her lower lip tremble but he just felt triumph at making her cry, how dare she mention her name; his sweet Lily's.

"Understood Professor," Hermione whispered as she stood slowly, her legs still felt like jelly and it was even worse with her eyes full of tears.

"Good, now get out of my sight, you disgust me," Snape spat at her.

She froze with her back to him but instead of replying to his insult she merely walked away, she left the room quietly leaving an angry Severus behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus watched the girl walk from the room quietly and he felt his anger spike again. He turned and began to ask the room for opponents that he could fight and duel. He beat opponent after opponent as he made his way around the room. He was dripping with sweat and his sat down hard again the wall where he drank a large bottle of water. His mind went back over the conversation that had transpired between him and Miss Granger and this time there was a rush of guilt that hadn't been there before. He saw her anguished face as his words sliced through her. He scowled hard at the opposite wall as he realized that he should probably apologize. He stood and cleaned himself with a quick wave of his hand then began to walk out of the room when a flash of light caught his eye. He turned to where the light was coming from and saw a flash of gold on the floor where she had been standing. Walking over to it he saw the bracelet that he had given her was lying on the floor where she must have taken it off during his tantrum. His blood ran cold when he thought about all the things that could happen to her walking through the school at night unattended.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione walked out of the RoR calmly but as soon as she was in the corridor beyond it she broke into a run. In her haste she didn't see the black figure that followed her at a lazy pace staying behind her but as she rounded a corner she ran into a hard body which immediately silenced her screams. She felt a hand come over her mouth and a voice said in her ear, "My master wants to see you Mudblood" then she knew nothing but darkness.

Severus was hurrying to the headmaster's office when he saw Dumbledore, Potter, and Weasley coming from the staircase.

"Severus, is Miss Granger with you?" Dumbledore asked while he looked around the man trying to see if she was perhaps disillusioned.

"No Headmaster, she ran out of our lesson, and she left this," He said holding the bracelet up for Dumbledore to see.

Albus' face went sheet white as he realized that Hermione was unsafe and unable to call for help.

"I was watching on the map as she reappeared when a black dot labeled Malfoy and Zabini intercepted hers and the vanished." Harry said quickly hoping that Hermione was okay.

"Severus, have you—" But Albus broke off when he saw the man's arm twitch; the arm that held the Dark Mark. He nodded to the dark haired man who turned on his heel and left.

Severus apparated to Malfoy Manor and was greeted with the screams of a woman and he instantly knew that it was Hermione. He hurried up the steps into the house as the screams paused for a moment. Walking into the library where Voldemort was his heart stopped when he saw a naked form of Hermione Granger lying on the floor in front of his master.

"Come now Mudblood; let me see what you know and you'll go free." Voldemort hissed as he pointed his wand again at the girl who started screaming again. "Ah Severus, as you can see I have your pet here for a little visit."

"I see that my lord," Severus said in a dead tone that betrayed no emotion.

"Are you read to give usss a demonstration of your hold over her?"

Severus swallowed heavily but nodded and walked forward to where the girl was laying. He bent down and grabbed her wrist roughly pulling her up to him. Her frightened bruised eyes met his and he gently slipped into her mind.

"I have to do this Miss Granger, or else there will be death for us both." She stared at him as tears welled again in her eyes but with the slightest movement she nodded letting him know she understood.

Severus threw her back onto the floor and knelt in front of her as he ripped his pants open, he said a wordless spell to make himself hard then another as a contraceptive before he grabbed her hips roughly shoving into her young body. She screamed like he had cast the Cruciatus on her as he pounded into her finally finishing minutes later. Her screams had stopped but she continued to shake as she curled into the fetal position. Severus looked away from her bleeding vaginal hole and up to his master; he schooled his face into one of triumph instead of the disgust and self-loathing that was coursing through his body.

"Ssseversss, she is clearly in capable under your hands. I had reports that she was out of line in your recent class but I see that this is not the case." Voldemort hissed as he ignored the girl on the ground. "Take her back to Hogwarts Severus; I'm sure that you want your toy in better shape than this."

"My Lord, if I may have a word?" Severus said also ignoring the girl on the ground.

Voldemort nodded and dismissed all his followers until himself, Severus, and Hermione were left in the room.

"It is important for me to know who else touched my toy; I do not want soiled goods." Severus said in a respectful voice.

"She was touched by no one in the way you have touched her. She suffered a beating when she refused to give me the answers I sought but you cleared up the air. I had, as I said, reports of her not being under your control." Severus nodded before he grabbed the girl by her hair and dragged her out of the library. Severus hated himself but if he was seen showing too much care with her they would both be in danger. He was thankful that the girl appeared to be unconscious however and as soon as he was outside the manor he lifted her into his arms gently. She was bleeding from her mouth, ears, and other various wounds but nothing that looked too serious that Madame Pomfrey wouldn't be able to patch up.

He walked into Hogwarts and straight for the infirmary yelling for the nurse; she bustled out immediately but froze when she saw Hermione.

"Oh my, you poor dear; Lay her here Severus," She waved her hand at the bed closest to her.

Severus set the girl down as gently as he could and stepped back; he had blood on his hands and arms but he ignored it. He watched as the witch waved her wand over the girl and almost threw up when he read the list of injuries.

Life-Threatening Injuries: 3

Swelling of the brain

Punctured Lung

Severe Internal Bleeding

Non-Life-threatening Injuries: 27

Bruises

Broken Eye socket

Broken nose

Broken Jaw

Broken Ribs

Broken Wrist

Vaginal Damage

Vaginal Bleeding

Vaginal Tearing

Reproductive organ damage

Cut Labia

Cut perineum

Various cuts

Emotional and Psychological damage

Severus had to sit down in a chair by her bed in order to keep himself from passing out. The last several injuries were, of course, caused solely by his own hands. He looked at the mediwitch and saw her staring at him but she didn't have anger or accusation in her eyes. She walked over to the man sitting there and hugged him tightly, "Severus, it would have been worse if you had not been there to save her. These injuries will all heal with time but if it were not for you they could have been worse."

Severus wasn't convinced but he stayed quiet as he watched the woman work on the girl. She poured potion after potion down the girl's throat and Severus watched at the bruises and broken bones repaired themselves. When it was time for the nurse to examine the more private things he erected a privacy curtain but stay where he was. He stayed quiet as she worked down there and occasionally the nurse would click her tongue in disapproval.

Her head suddenly snapped up and she fixed him with a glare, "Was tonight the first night you have had sexual relations with Miss Granger?"

He was taken aback for a moment before he put his customary scowl into place, "Yes woman, I do not have sex with my students."

"Don't give me that look; she's got damage that is old, already healed though a toddler could do better."

"She was…abused as a child Poppy, by a family member." Severus said in tired voice.

The witch looked at him for a moment before turning back to the girl mumbling about the evils of the world. The double doors opened to reveal a harried Minvera and Albus he stood quickly and walked over to them. As he explained the events that had occurred Minerva steadily fell apart and Albus held onto her as tears dripped down his own face.

"This is why she never should have gotten involved Albus; children do not belong in wars and should not go through half of what she did tonight. She understood what I had to do Albus, she nodded her consent, to make ME feel better. I hope you're happy old man, because we will be lucky if the Hermione Granger we knew before now survives this. Stronger more powerful witches and wizards have gone through it and lasted only a day." Severus said before he stormed back over to where the girl was sitting.

Albus and Minerva looked at one another and their thoughts were the same: Severus cares about this girl.


	10. A Forgiven Spy

Severus sat by the girl's bedside through the night and many nights over the next week. She hadn't woken up yet but Poppy said that her body and mind had a lot of healing to do. His conscious kept eating away at him with mixtures of guilt and agony at knowing that the girl was here because of him.

He was reading a book when he heard the bedclothes rustle with movement; he looked over his book to see her eyelids flutter then open. He slowly put the book down so he didn't startle to girl and make her injure herself further.

Hermione felt very warm in her bed but a fluttering nose that sounded like a book made her open her eyes. She looked over to see Professor Snape laying his book down slowly and looking at her like she was going to attack or runaway. Actually, now that she thought about it, running away sounded like a very good option but her limbs didn't appear to be working properly. She opened her mouth to talk but her throat felt like she'd been gargling nails and so she closed it again. She jumped slightly when the man sitting next to her suddenly stood and she unconsciously scooted away from him quickly. This motion didn't go unnoticed by him as he froze but held his hands up in a gesture signifying that he meant no harm. She watched him warily as he pulled his wand out and immediately started looking for her own wand frantically she stilled however when a goblet of water appeared in front of her. She looked up at him sheepishly before taking the goblet carefully so as to not touch him. She drank the water quickly and was thankful when he refilled it after the first helping was gone.

Severus felt like going to Voldemort to ask him the end his life. The look of fear that had flashed in the girls eyes made his chest tighten and made breathing hurt. He knew that she would be skittish but that didn't make her actions any easier. He had just picked up his book when he heard her small voice cut through the silence.

"Thank you."

Severus startled and dropped his book which made a loud thud on the floor which made Hermione jump but Severus just stared at her. His brain tried to make up some snide comment or to make a retort but he was having enough trouble remembering to breathe. Did she really just thank him? No, no he must have imagined it; clearly he had been without sleep for too long. He hadn't realized he'd been staring at her until she reached her hand out gently to touch his before repeating, "thank you."

Hermione suddenly scrambled across her bed when he yanked his hand away and stood before pacing furiously.

"'Thank you?' Thank you? That's what you have to say to me? I have abused your trust and your body worse than any I have ever done before. Taken your trust and thrown it in your face before forcibly doing what your uncle did when you were a child. Completely ripped your fragile mind open for all and sundry to see and you say thank you! You have nothing to be thankful for child, nothing at all. You should be cursing me or at the very least trying to kill me, anything but thanking me. I am not worthy of our gratitude or of anything except the punishment of the lowest hell." Severus said to her as he paced. He was furious at her, angrier that he had been in a while because she was thanking him, thanking him for raping her. He looked over at her with a furious face but felt it slide off his face when he saw that she was backed against the headboard as if trying to become one with it and the wall behind her. That took the wind out of his lungs and caused him to drop back into the chair and put his head in his hands.

Hermione watched him for a minute before she tore herself away from the headboard and closer to the man. "But without you sir, I wouldn't still be alive." She said these words as if she were talking to a petulant child. She watched him as he raised his head and looked her in the eye; the self-loathing and hate she saw there made her begin to move away from him again but he gently put his hand out, palm up, towards her. She placed her hand in his slowly pushing her hair out of her face as she allowed herself to be pulled towards him. She felt his hand close over her wrist but before she could panic he pulled it away again and she looked down to see her bracelet once again sitting on her wrist. She looked up to thank him and explain but she found herself alone in the hospital wing again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunlight shined through the windows in the hospital wing and woke Hermione up. As soon as she opened her eyes she knew she wasn't alone and instinct made her scream as she crawled off the bed away from the presence.

"Miss Granger, I'm not going to hurt you." Came a soothing voice and she looked around to see Professor Dumbledore sitting in the chair Snape had been occupying the night before. "Forgive me my dear; I should not have startled you from your sleep."

Hermione flushed red as she sat back down on the bed feeling foolish. "Sorry Headmaster, I'm still a smidge jumpy."

"No apology necessary, would you like some tea?" Dumbledore asked and looked over his spectacles when her stomach gave a loud rumble. "Perhaps some toast too?"

Hermione nodded at him and watched as he summoned a house elf, though she was expecting the 'pop' noise that came with the elves she still felt herself jump when the noise suddenly echoed through the infirmary. If her professor noticed he didn't say anything and they sat in silence until the house elf returned carrying a tray overflowing with toast, eggs, bacon, and other of her favorite foods. Her mouth watered shamelessly as her nose smelt the food but she remembered her manners she'd been taught as a child and waited for her elder to get his food first. Dumbledore must have known her thoughts because he chuckled slightly.

"Child, I have already gorged myself at breakfast do not hold back on my account a week without food would make even the strongest man ravenous."

She smiled at him gratefully as she grabbed a plate and piled the food on; instead of tearing into it though she again remembered her manners she'd been taught at resisted the urge to shovel food in her mouth like Ron. The thought of her friend made her set the food aside completely as she lost her appetite.

"Is it not satisfactory? I'm sure the elves will bring you something else if it's too much?" Dumbledore said kindly.

"Ron and Harry do they—"

"They were the ones to see you vanish off the map but the details of what happened after that is known only to Severus, Poppy, Minerva, and I. No one else has any business knowing but they do know you were taken so they will have questions. Poppy has expressly forbidden them from coming into the infirmary until you were awake so the only person whom you've had for company is Professor Snape who has left your side only in time to get to classes and came straight after the very last class."

Hermione nodded her acknowledgement and her hunger returned full force so she picked the tray up again noticing that there was a warming spell on it. She glanced at Dumbledore who was inspecting his star spangled robes in innocent obliviousness. She smiled slightly as she began to gulp her food down the whole time her professor simply observed his robes or made offhand comments on the weather. Once she had filled herself to the brim with food and drink she sat back against the pillows as the food vanished back to the kitchens and Dumbledore stopped surveying the room.

"Are you okay Miss Granger?" He asked in a kind voice that made it clear he was not going to accept her readied 'fine' as an answer.

"I'm…I don't know what I am Professor," She said as tears filled her eyes. "I know that what happened was simply in the cards for me and that if Professor Snape hadn't done what he did then I would be dead along with him but I'm scared. Not of him per say but I know his strength, the side of him that is Death Eater, and that's what I'm afraid of." She stopped as the lump in her throat became too large and Dumbledore looked at her.

"Severus is a complex man Miss Granger, one that has been shaped by the harshness of his life. What happened was not your fault in any way nor will you ever hear him blame you. I've known him since he was a young boy and to say he's an emotional man would be laughable. He operates in secret and never lets any of his emotions out. When he returned with you that night he was shaking and a mess; worse than I have ever seen him. Since you've been asleep he's been as friendly as Devil's Snare but this simply means that he cares. He did what he had to that night to make sure that you lived; if he didn't care he wouldn't have acted. He didn't do it to save his own hide or to get himself out of trouble, he did it because you are a student, a bright student at that, and he knew that if your life ended because of him he would not want to live. Do not judge him so harshly Miss Granger; Lily Evans/Potter delivered him a blow that was perhaps worse than anything his father could have." He finished this explanation with calm tones and Hermione took in the information that she'd been given. She didn't hate the man but she didn't know how she felt about him either.

"What—what do I say to Ron and Harry?" She asked after she was able to finally get the lump down.

"Ah child that is completely up to you but perhaps you should think of something close to the truth; maybe not all of it but enough to let them understand the changes that you will no doubt experience over the next few months." Dumbledore finished as he stood up. "You are excused from classes until such as time as you are ready to return but Harry and Ron have been collecting your homework, which if I'm not mistaken, they are on their way right now. Should I intercept them or are you able to see them?"

Hermione felt herself grow nervous even as she said, "I'm okay." Minutes later her two best friends entered the Hospital Wing and walked straight towards her. They were stopped however by the Headmaster.

"Miss Granger has been through an ordeal Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley; she will explain what she is comfortable with but I urge you to tread carefully and think of her feelings." He gave the boys a searching look before letting the pass. He turned and met Hermione's eye then turned to quit the wing.

"Hermione! We've been so worried about you," Ron said as he flopped down on her bed but Harry hung back as he saw his friend instantly tense at the boys advance.

He sat more gently giving her the room she seemed to need, "Hermione, what happened?"

Hermione took a deep breath and explained about what had happened leaving out the details of WHO had raped her; the boys were angry but they stayed quiet until she was done. "So then Professor Snape brought me back here."

Ron went forward to hug her tightly but was stopped when Harry laid his hand on his arm and shook his head. Ron looked awkward for a second before he held his hand out to her, so much like he had in first year, and she shook it with a small smile. She had never noticed before but Ron had built muscle over the summer and he looked extremely dangerous with his bulk. She looked at Harry but didn't feel the frightened panic she did with Ron.

"Please don't tell anyone, I don't want it getting out. I'll be back to classes probably soon but thank you for getting my homework for me."

They sat and talked for a few hours until Madame Pomfrey shooed them out of the Infirmary so she could examine Hermione. "Now, I know this is uncomfortable dear but I need to examine your injuries so if you'll just lay back I'll be as quick as possible."

Hermione started shaking as she lay back and brought her legs up in the way she was told then let her knees fall to the side. Madame Pomfrey told her what she was doing before she did it which made Hermione calm only slightly. She stared at the ceiling blinking back tears as the nurse gently examined her then sat up once the witch patted her thigh.

"You're all healed Hermione, forgive the familiarity, you will suffer no lasting damage and will someday be able to have children if you choose." The nurse said gently as she handed Hermione a vial of Calming Draught.

"How will a man ever want me when I'm used goods?" Hermione said through tears as she stared at the vial.

"If he is the right man, my dear, he won't care. You are a brilliant, beautiful, talented young lady and have the strength to pull through this." Madame Pomfrey said kindly before motioning for Hermione to drink the potion. Once she had drained the vial she instantly felt more relaxed as she lay back on the bed and was covered up by the nurse.

She rolled over to get comfortable and the last thought in her mind was why Professor Snape had been by her bed so much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When she woke some time later it was to a darkened wing and a silent dark figure by her bed. Her gasp caused the man to look up at her and she felt herself relax slightly when she recognized Professor Snape.

"I'm sorry," She said to him but his look stopped her and she felt fear rise in her throat again.

"You have nothing at all to apologize for Miss Granger; you will never have anything to apologize for to me." He said in a smooth voice.

"Why do you blame yourself for something a monster forced you to do?" She asked with innocent curiosity as she snuggled under the covered.

He breathed deeply for a minute before he answered her, "I chose to follow that monster Miss Granger, which means that I am to blame for everything."

"I don't think so Professor." She said quietly.

"You are a child," He said in a sharp tone and Hermione felt her anger peak for the first time in days.

"I think we both not that I am not a child Professor, I stopped being a child the moment I was taken in front of Voldemort." The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them but she shoved her face under the covers after she said them tensed for the curse she was sure was coming. When none did she peeked out to see that the chair where he had been siting was empty again.

"Great job Hermione, excellent way to show your gratitude." She said to herself as she rolled over in bed to fall asleep. As she fell asleep she didn't see the figure standing against a wall watching over her like some dark guardian.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus watched the girl sleep and he crept forward once he was sure that she was truly sleeping. He looked down at her face in a mixture of confusion and adoration. She had every right to hate him, to want him dead, but instead she thanked him and asked him questions. She even apologized for gasping at his presence. He shook his head gently before bending to press his lips gently to her head and walked out of the wing. He walked straight past a man standing concealed in the shadows watching the pair with twinkling blue eyes. As he disappeared Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows and a tabby cat wrapped itself around his ankles.

"Ah Minerva, if any two people ever deserved happiness more it's these two." The tabby cat's only response was to purr and the pair walked out of the room leaving Hermione behind who was smiling in her sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	11. Caring for a Spy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was released from the infirmary the next day and she was somewhat ready to return to her normal routine. Or so she thought until she walked into the Great Hall, she was met by the suddenly frightening loudness of her classmates' rambunctiousness not to mention that the thought of sitting next to her fellow Gryffindor males was terrifying. A touch on her hand made her jump and she looked around to see Harry and Ron standing next to her. She looked down at Harry's hand which was held palm up for her to take and she did; feeling like she was safe as his hand enveloped hers. The three of them walked to Gryffindor table together and Harry let go of her hand to sit down. She was nervous and scared again until she saw Ron and Harry move people down the bench so that she had a safe spot in between them. She felt tears jump to her eyes as she sat down feeling incredibly lucky to have two friends that were protective.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus watched the girl enter and saw the fear on her face as she took in the hall. When Potter and Weasley came up behind him he was sure that they would drag her away but instead Potter grabbed her hand and led her to the table. He quietly said, "20 points to Gryffindor" when he watched the two boys budge people up so that she had a safe place between them. Minerva, who was sitting next to him, started choking on her wine but Albus merely looked at him with a twinkle in his eye.

"Alert the news Minerva, Severus just awarded Gryffindor more than 1 point. Wait, check him, he may be imperious'd." Albus chuckled out. The other teachers were also experiencing different shades of shock and amusement.

"Albus?" Severus called down the table to him.

"Yes my boy?" Albus answered with the maddening twinkle in his eye.

"Bite me," Severus responded causing Minerva who had just managed to clear her throat choke again. "Honestly Minerva, are you an infant and unable to drink?"

He smirked slightly when the woman turned her furious red face to him but he quickly went back to his food when he saw her fingering her wand. He'd take 40 Voldemort's over an angry Minerva any day; she rivaled even a blast-ended skrewt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron, Harry, and Hermione were exiting the Great Hall when a drawling voice came from behind them.

"So mudblood, you've finally healed I see?" Malfoy drawled at her.

Hermione refused to be cowed by him but shifted slightly so that she was standing firmly between Harry and Ron. "It's so odd to see you without a quivering lip Malfoy, isn't that your normal look this year?" She sneered at him in a good imitation of her professor.

"You filthy mudblood," He went to step forward but three wands were pointed in his face before he could step his foot down. He wasn't stupid and knew that three against one was suicide.

"Get new insults Malfoy, those are getting old." Harry snarled at him.

"Fine, how about Slytherin slut? That one seems to be more effective."

Hermione felt her face pale and her eyes well up with tears but she was saved from further embarrassment by a familiar baritone voice.

"Problems children?" Snape's voice drifted over them and Malfoy froze.

"No Professor," The four of the chorused.

"Then get out of the way, you're blocking the doorway." Sure enough there was a group of students trying to get out of the doorway but Snape's back was blocking them from seeing or hearing anything that was going on not for lack of trying though.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed towards the Gryffindor tower in silence and Hermione trying to keep her tears from falling. When they got to the common room Hermione bid the boys goodnight without her customary kiss to their heads but Harry gave her a gently hug and kissed her forehead in a way that reminded her of her father. She got up to her room before her tears fell and she noticed that she was no longer in the normal dormitory. Sitting on her bed however was Abaven, Severus' Griffin, who looked like he was waiting for her.

"Hello dear," he said when she laid down on the bed.

"Where am I? What are you doing here?" Hermione asked him as her hand moved of its own accord to stroke his head.

"You are in your new quarters, through that door you'll find a bathroom with a bath, and through that one you'll find yourself directly into Severus' quarters; though I recommend not using it. I am here to love on you; Severus has been in a foul mood so I seek loving elsewhere." He leaned his head into her hand showing her where to scratch and he began to making a cooing sound that confirmed his enjoyment.

"Well, it's nice to see that someone doesn't think me repulsive." Hermione said looking away. She jumped when she felt Griffin's paws on her chest and looked into his golden eyes.

"There are a great many number of someone's that does find you repulsive. What happened was not your fault nor should you blame yourself. Hush. Sleep now, you have class tomorrow." He laid next to her when she crawled into her bed watching her until she fell asleep before slipping out to head to his owner's quarters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus was marking papers when his familiar came on his desk and began to groom his feathers. "Must you do that right here? Your slurping noises are most distracting."

"Your young woman is sleeping soundly in her bed though I think you should talk to her," He said not breaking his grooming.

"She is not MY young woman and why do you think that I need to talk to her?" Severus asked finally setting his quill down.

"She thinks herself repulsive," Griffin said looking Severus in the eye.

"She-what? How could she think that? What makes her think that? That's ridiculous, why do you think she thinks that?"

"How would you feel in her situation Severus? Would you feel like a super model that every man wanted?" Severus could see the logic in his words against his will.

He knew how she was feeling because he himself had felt that way many times over the last several years. He watched his familiar disappear back into the girls' room and didn't have the heart to feel disgruntled about the creature's obvious favoritism.

He had just lain down in bed when the all too familiar burning sliced up his arm so he grudgingly got out of bed to answer his master's call. He grabbed his mask and robes before touching his wand to his mark instantly disappearing.

He arrived in a graveyard not unlike the one where Voldemort's father was buried but instead of many death eaters being gathered there it was only him and his master. He bowed before him and waited for the figure to tell him to rise before speaking.

"My lord, what do you require?" Severus said keeping his gaze averted.

"What news have you Severus?"

"Unfortunately, nothing my lord; the old fool has been still giving Potter lessons privately but my mudblood has been unconscious and so has been unable to retrieve information." Severus just managed to get these words out before his body was aflame with pain. He clenched his jaw to keep from crying out because that would only mean more pain. He could feel blood trickling down his face as Voldemort lifted the curse. "The-the Malf-Malfoy boy has still not ma-made any headway," Severus stuttered out through his clenched teeth. His master allowed him to get on his knees but he didn't stand for that would simply mean that he could take more punishment.

"You have been useless lately Severus, which makes me reconsider your usefulness as a spy but you are in a position close to Dumbledore that I cannot ignore. Still," he broke off and pointed his wand at Severus again.

He felt his side slice open and resisted the basic instinct to put pressure on the wound. He knew that his master wouldn't let him die but that didn't mean that he wouldn't need many days in the infirmary. He felt another slice across his face that made blood drip into his mouth but he didn't flinch just kept his eyes respectfully down.

"Leave Severus, I tire of this," the figure vanished into thin air leaving Severus to gasp in breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione jerked awake to a throbbing in her wrist, she quickly grabbed her bracelet then lit her wand so she could see the message.

Was called; back now

She twitched her wand at the bracelet sending, 'injured?'

She waited mere seconds before the urgent message, 'Entrance hall.'

She jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes barely stopping to disillusion herself before she ran out the door. She thought hesitantly about why she was going to rescue him but her answer came readily, she cared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus had been leaning against the wall for so long that he was almost convinced that she wasn't coming. Not that he blamed her; he wouldn't come to his rescue either. He pushed himself away from the wall to make his way down to his quarters resigned that she wasn't coming. He had gotten 4 stumbled steps before he felt an arm circle his waist and helped support him. His heart leapt into his throat as her vanilla scent wafted up to his nose and he breathed deeply. The pair made slow process down to his rooms but they finally arrived and he was stunned that he had managed to stay conscious.

She stopped the charm and she came into view as she pushed him gently onto the couch in his sitting room. She kneeled in front of him focusing on his injuries before raising her hand and wandlessly summoning the potions she'd need.

He watched her hands work at a steady pace only wincing when she prodded him too hard but he kept quiet.

"You came." He said breaking the silence.

Hermione looked up into his bloodied face and his dark eyes. "Of course I did."

"I didn't think you would."

"What a stupid thing to think," She replied almost imitating him perfectly. Her head was bowed as she healed his side so she didn't see the startled smirk on his face.

Hermione knew why she had come but after the words he had said to her in the room of requirement she wasn't about to tell him those reasons. Instead she healed his side occasionally handing him potions to drink and she noticed that he wasn't sniffing them; just swallowing them with blind trust.

She got off her knees and knelt on the couch next to his leg so she could reach the cut on his face better. She siphoned the blood off first as she examined the deepness of the cut. It stretched from next to his eye diagonally down his face across the bridge of his nose ending just above his jaw on the other side.

Severus felt her feather light touch as she worked on the slice across his face. He resisted the urge to jerk his face away when she got to his nose, something he was embarrassed of, but she simply healed it and carried on. As she gently grabbed his chin to turn and lift his face she unknowingly put his nose close to her hair. He breathed in her scent but soon the tickling sensation across his face became too much so he reached out his hand and pulled her hair back from his face.

Hermione froze when his hand touched her shoulder but she made the mistake of looking back to see what he was doing. Her brown eyes met black and she felt her heart stop in her throat; he was looking at her in a mixture of confusion and desire that made her slightly nervous. She turned back to continue the work on his face and finished by rubbing salve into his skin.

"You'll have a faint mark for a few days but it'll fade with no lasting damage," She said not moving from the position she was in.

Severus looked at her as he released her hair gently and turned his head back so he was facing the side of her face. He brought his hand up to her chin and forced her to look at him; he was encouraged when he didn't see fear in her eyes more wariness and curiosity.

"Why did you come?" He asked her in a low voice.

"You contacted me," Hermione answered.

"You could have left me there though, or alerted the Headmaster instead," he prodded. "Why did you come?"

"You were injured," She said stubbornly.

"Miss—Hermione," He said quietly and she snapped her head around to look at him causing her lips to be only inches from his own. "Please answer the question."

Hermione had never heard him say please before so the answer was out of her mouth before she could stop it. "I care for-for you, I know how you feel about me but I couldn't ignore you knowing that you were injured." She didn't look away from his heated gaze nor flinch when his hand traveled up to cup the back of her neck.

She felt him pull her face closer to hers and her gaze flickered down to his lips as she swallowed hard.

Severus saw her eyes flutter shut as she drew nearer to his lips but a sudden voice made the pair jump apart abruptly.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," came a voice both of them recognized without turning.

"No, of course not Abaven, I was just finished," Hermione said with a shaky voice. She couldn't believe that she had almost kissed her professor. She was suddenly aware of his maleness and that made him all the more frightening. He was stronger and more capable of hurting her than she was of defending him. She tripped and almost fell in her haste to put some distance between them.

"I am not going to hurt you Miss Granger," He said noticing her hasty retreat.

"I'm just going to go to bed now, good night Professor." Hermione said ignoring his comment about not hurting her. 'Little late for that don't you think sir', she thought but kept herself quiet. She knelt by the creature standing by the door to pet him to whisper, "thank you" before she stood and walked out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus watched the girl leave and sat back down on the couch once his door had closed. He placed his head in his hands and groaned before he felt his griffin step onto his lap.

"What was I doing?" He asked the creature.

"I was going to ask you that Severus, she is a child," he replied petulantly.

"She's not a child Abaven, she's a woman."

"That may be but she is going through a difficult time right now, do you really think a good snogging will fix her problems?"

"Don't you think I know that?" Severus said angrily, he stood to pace around the room. "I know that she doesn't need it, I know, she needs to stay away from me."

"No, she needs you to be there as her friend. Don't give me that look I'll set fire to your hair. She needs a friend and right now you are the closest thing she's got to one. Call it crazy but she trusts you on a deeper level than anyone else."

"I raped—"

"Yes I'm aware of that but you saved her life; which means that while her mind says stay away her conscious tells her you're someone she can count on." Severus looked at his pet before sitting back down to stroke his feathers in the way he knew the griffin liked.

"How did I get to this place?"

"You found a woman who will put up with your snark and even throw some back, who matches your intelligence, and doesn't blink when you drip sarcasm in every word. Somewhere between the snide comment, the dangerous situations, and the cozy healing session you started caring for her."

Severus stopped stroking him for a moment deep in thought before he resumed half-heartedly. "I don't deserve it."

"Severus if there were ever two people I've ever met that deserve happiness and each other more it's you two."

Severus shook his head in disbelief as he said, "She'll never want me. I'm a death eater and 39 years old; she's young and has the world at her feet." He picked Abaven up off his lap before standing and heading into his bedroom to go to sleep.

The griffin stared after him before shaking his bird-like head saying to the empty room, "For someone so smart Severus, you can act really dumb."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	12. Caught Up in a Spy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following weekend had Hermione waiting in the Entrance Hall for Cormac McGlennon to meet with her. She had been invited to a party at Professor Slughorn's quarters urging her to invite someone; she had been planning to ask Harry but he had already asked Luna Lovegood. She was terrified of him trying something so when he appeared beside her she jumped slightly and gave a squeak.

"You look bloody amazing Hermione," He said looking her over. She felt herself start sweating under his gaze so she motioned for them to walk up to the party. As they made to move through the door it was to find their feet glued to the floor. Hermione looked up in horror at the magical Mistletoe that was hanging there and Cormac grabbed her roughly planting his lips on hers before she could protest.

"Uh-I-I have to go find Harry," She said as she stumbled away from him, her legs like jello and wouldn't hold her weight. She ran into a strong body and hands grabbed her arms to keep her from falling but she panicked even more until a soothing voice met her ears.

"Calm yourself Miss Granger," Her eyes jerked up to meet Professor Snape's and she felt relief rush through her body making her weak again. She resisted the urge to throw herself into his arms and bury her face in his chest but the clenching of his jaw made her step away.

"Thank you Professor Snape," She said hoping her voice didn't tremble.

"Your date is coming," He spat viciously staring at some point over her head and as she turned she saw Cormac making his way over to them.

"I shouldn't have come with him," she mumbled to herself but Snape heard her.

"Perhaps you should be pickier about the company you keep especially in your fragile state," He sneered so only she could hear him.

"Then perhaps I should stay away from you," She hissed back but a hand at her back broke their conversation off.

"There you are; I wondered where you'd gone off too. Evening Professor Snape, you'll have to find yourself a different girl Hermione's mine." The teen said in a confident air but the look at Snape threw in his direction would've made the Whomping Willow shrivel.

"That would assume I want her McGlegan," He snapped before he walked away leaving a slightly teary eyed Hermione and a glaring Cormac behind him.

"Hermione, you made it." She turned to see Harry walking towards her and almost started crying from joy.

"Hey, where's Luna?" She asked miraculously managing to keep her voice even.

"Over talking to a vampire about something-or-other," he waved his hand to where the blonde and pale brunette was standing.

A disturbance made the people turn towards the door to see Mr. Flich walking into the room dragging Malfoy by his ear. She watched as Snape walked forward to grab the back of his shirt pulling him back out of the room. Harry and Cormac were in a deep conversation about Quidditch so she slipped away from them and out into the hall. She saw Snape's robes disappear around a corner so she disillusioned herself and following quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus couldn't believe the girl had thrown what he did in his face, forgiveness my arse. He had wanted to curse Malfoy when he was dragged into the room by Filch but instead he acted like the evil Professor he was and dragged him out.

"What were you doing?" He snarled at the boy quietly.

"None of your business Snape, I don't have to tell you." His godson replied stubbornly.

"If you are not careful you are going to land yourself in serious trouble with Dumbledore, I don't think our master would be very pleased with that." He threatened and watched the boy pale even more. "Get back to the Slytherin common room right now. Detention tomorrow where we'll finish this conversation." When the boy walked off he turned his attention to the vanilla scent that had worked its way down the corridor. He melted into the shadows casting a strong concealment charm over him just as the girl following him walked around the corner.

Hermione looked down the corridor in confusion; the pair seemed to have disappeared into thin air. She was walking down the corridor when she felt a hand come up to cover her mouth and she started fighting the person holding her. She bit the palm covering her mouth hard enough to draw blood but the person did not let go of her. An herbal scent met her nose as the person pulled her against their hard chest and hissed into her ear.

"Stop your struggles."

She instantly went limp and stopped biting her professor but when he let go of her she turned around and slapped him hard across the face.

"How dare you scare me like that? How dare you make me feel that helplessness again!" She hissed at him but her anger died in her when she saw his anger as he turned his face back to her. She had barely blinked when she suddenly found their positions changed and he had her pinned against the wall.

"If you ever lay your hands on me again in violence I will not hesitate to return the favor. I do not hit women but when a woman puts herself in a man's place all bets are off." He hissed at her.

Hermione looked into his eyes as she became aware of the fact that his body was pressed firmly against his. His eyes were burning into hers with anger and a challenge she couldn't understand. She tried to move around him feeling tears well in her eyes but his hands stopped her. She froze when she heard Filch walking towards them and looked at Snape's face in horror. He lifted his hand to his mouth to signal her to be quiet and she nodded her consent.

Severus didn't know when he realized that her body was pressed fully against hers or the fact that his face was incredibly close to hers but as Filch walked directly behind them his cat stopped to sniff in their direction. He saw her reaction before her gasp could leave her mouth so he did the only thing he could, he pressed his mouth to hers and her gasp was silenced immediately. They stayed that way until Filch moved on and his footsteps faded; he pulled back gently and looked at her.

Hermione felt shocked as his lips pressed themselves to hers and her eyes widened before they fluttered close again. She heard Filch's footsteps fade and felt a twinge of disappointment as he released her lips and stepped back. She opened her mouth to respond to his comment but his hand circled her wrist and pulled her down the hall to an empty classroom.

"What do you think you were doing?" He asked as soon as the door was shut behind him and the wards in place.

"I don't know, I don't know. I saw you and Malfoy leave and I just—"

"Just decided you'd stick your bushy head in where it didn't belong?" He asked with anger in his voice.

"You're the one that decided to have a private conversation in the middle of a corridor where anyone could have walked by." She hissed back her anger now rising again.

"You couldn't see or hear me because I had placed wards, what if someone besides me had been standing in the shadows ready to attack you?" He asked accusingly.

Hermione felt her face pale at his words as she noticed how dangerous it was for her to go walking through the school at night all alone.

"Ah, I see your magnificent brain has finally alerted you to your stupidity."

"Why did you kiss me huh?"

"Because your gasp would have gotten up caught and I refuse to jeopardize my position as a spy and teacher by getting caught in a compromising situation." He said his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You weren't playing teacher a few minutes ago when you kissed me," She said stubbornly looking away from his face angrily. There was silence for a few minutes and she tensed waiting for his explosive remark but his fore finger went under her chin. She raised her eyes to his to see him lowering his head giving her time to pull back but when she didn't he pressed his lips to hers once more. She stiffened momentarily but then relaxed into his kiss and brought her hand up placing it at the back of his neck.

Severus' brain was telling him he was kissing a student but when her hand came up to bury itself in his hair all thought was lost. He kept the kiss light and gentle but her tongue flicked out to taste his so he opened his mouth willingly to her questing tongue. His tongue warred with hers and he hesitantly placed his hands on around her back. She stepped closer to him and pressed her body into his he heard students leaving the party which made his brain start thinking again.

He broke the kiss gently before whispering, "Go now."

Hermione stared at him in confusion but he leaned forward to kiss the crease on her forehead before shoving her gently. She got the hint and walked away from him not looking back as she made her way to Harry.

"Where have you been?" He asked her suspiciously.

"Bathroom, girl problems." She answered and was relieved when he turned red and let the subject drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus watched the girl catch up to Potter before following them silently. He snorted when she casually commented about her female cycle which made Potter blush and halt his questioning. He had been a teacher long enough to be desensitized to menstrual problems even if that was her problem. He followed them for a while before heading to the Headmasters study. He had to talk to Albus, his resignation would be handed in before two weeks meaning that the school would suffer no damage if she let it slip. He thought about the pain he would receive from Voldemort but he pushed the thought out of his head as he pushed open the oak door to Albus' study.

"Ah Severus, to what to I owe the pleasure?" The man asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm here to notify you of my resignation Albus," He answered standing stiffly before his mentor and friend.

"Resignation? Why ever would you need to do that?"

"I have found myself in a compromising situation with Miss Granger, I will leave the school she needs not be punished." He said firmly readying himself for the reprimand.

"Sit down Severus," Albus said as he motioned to the chair in front of his desk. "Jelly bean?"

Severus shook his head no as he sat down and waited for the older man to being talking.

"What kind of compromising situation are we talking about?" Severus noticed the twinkle in his eye had faded leaving an uncharacteristically serious look behind.

"I kissed her in an empty corridor not far from Slughorn's party." Severus said with his head bowed in shame.

"Kissing?" Albus asked. When Severus nodded he began talking again. "Severus go to you quarters."

"You wish me to leave now? I understand completely Albus, I expect nothing less. " He stood but Albus' chuckled made him stop mid-stand.

"My dear boy, Miss Granger is of age, furthermore," he said when he saw Severus was about to comment. "Furthermore, you were not seen?" A head shake. "You didn't force her?" A glare. "It won't happen again?" Another head shake. "Then I'm not seeing the problem, you kissed a girl that shares your intelligence, wit, and occasion snarky attitude so you think you should be punished?"

Severus gaped at him for a moment before he snapped his mouth shut. "But Albus, she—"

"She can make her own decision Severus. She has chosen to heal your wounds, appear to be your slave, and has been through a lot while by your side is it so farfetched that she cares for you? That you care for her in return? Don't give me that look boy, I know that you do."

"She needs to stay away from me; I don't deserve someone so…so… good and pure." Severus said with his voice full of resentment.

"She had seen what you are capable of yet still had healed you, you have abused her but still she responds to your calls, you are hurt her perhaps worse than her uncle: but she returns to you side. Miss Granger is not a stupid girl Severus; she does nothing without thinking it through. Let go of the past resentment and do not let Lily's betrayal cloud her chances. Lily was never meant to be yours Severus, but Miss Granger may be." Albus said in a firm voice. He had watched this young man at his weakest moments but his heart was good. He deserved happiness more than anyone else Albus knew.

"But—"

"No more arguments Severus, I do not accept your resignation." He said in a voice that banked no argument.

Severus nodded his head and quit the office wondering where in the heck the man's sanity went. He reached the bottom of the stairs as his wrist burned and he grabbed his bracelet to see a message that made his heart stop. "Help"

He tore off down the corridor barely slowing to ask her where she was and when her message sent back my rooms he ran faster. He banged his way through the door to see the girl standing in a towel clutching her arm a pained look on her face.

"What's wrong? Were you attacked?" Severus said quickly and looked around but didn't see any sign of trouble.

"Um… No but I heard something trying to get through the door connecting our rooms so I panicked!" Hermione said as she trembled where she stood. He quickly walked over to the door and threw it open to see nothing there.

He turned to see Hermione looking at his feet with a pale look on her face she stumbled over to the bed and sat down. He turned back around to see her cat sitting at his feet with a dagger sticking out of her stomach with a note that read Don't think you're safe mudblood. He reached down to feel if the cat was still alive and felt a very faint pulse. He quickly scooped up the cat and placed him on his mistress's bed.

Hermione felt tears course down her face at the sight of her cat and looked at Severus in confusion when he placed Crookshanks on her bed. She watched him pull the dagger out and flinched at the sickening sight but when he began to wave his wand she watched transfixed. Her cat began to glow faintly blue as Snape waved his wand over him whispering something she couldn't hear. Her eyes widened when the blue light faded around her cat and Crookshanks rolled onto his stomach meowing in pain. He looked into her eyes and whined almost as if to say "I'm okay, "I'm here".

Severus watched the cat crawl to his owner and felt his heart soar at the beaming look Hermione threw his way. She flung herself at him saying thank you over and over and after a moment he hesitantly hugged her back. They both froze when his hands touched her bare skin and she jerked her head up to look into his eyes.

Her towel had fallen off in her excitement and her naked body was now pressed against his fully clothed one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	13. To Love a Spy

Hermione felt a blush creep up her cheeks as they stayed pressed together, the fabric of his robes were rubbing against her nipples in a way that made her want to moan. He had removed his hands from her body and was now holding them up like the bad guys do in the muggle movies she had seen. You know like when the cops say "put your hands up", just like that. She still had her arms wrapped around him tightly though because to step away would mean he'd get a full sight of her nakedness.  
"Miss Granger," Severus said trying very hard not to let his body respond to the young naked body pressed firmly against his. If she were to reposition just the barest inch she would feel the signs of his body enjoying their situation. His brain however was shouting at him that she was his student and he, a death eater that no one would want as soon as they saw his body.  
"Yes Professor?" Hermione asked him. She looked up at his face and saw that he had his jaw clenched tightly; the muscles in his jaw letting her know that he was clenching and unclenching his teeth.  
"You need to let go." It wasn't a harsh command but his hissed tone made her jump away from him quickly; the wrong thing to do obviously because she was standing in front of him naked and looking at him in an innocent way. He stared at her for the briefest of seconds before quickly turning around to give her some privacy. Hermione begrudgingly wrapped her robe around her before tapping him on the shoulder. He turned around and looked grateful for her cover. "Good evening Miss Granger." He strolled over to the door that led to his rooms and disappeared through it.  
Hermione watched him go then turned her attention to the dagger still sitting on her bed. "Professor!" Snape poked his head back in her room with a raised eyebrow and she shakily pointed at the dagger. He walked into her room to grab the dagger then back out with a curt nod. She smiled as he shut the door and looked over to see Crookshanks staring at her in an amused way. "Oh shut it you." She got into bed pulling the covers and Crookshanks up to her chest.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus walked out of his quarter's straight back to the Headmaster's office with the dagger and not in his hand. He hoped his face would lose its pink color and his heart would slow before he reached the stone Gargoyle and thankfully he found himself calmer as he rushed up the stairs.  
"Albus—" He began but he was cut off by the man in question.  
"I'm not accepting your resignation Severus," Albus said warily.  
"No, forget that. Miss Granger just found this dagger sticking into her familiar's stomach with this note." Severus said quickly laying both items on the desk for the man to look at.  
Albus looked over the dagger and the note carefully noting the snake on the handle which looked suspiciously like the snake Lucius Malfoy kept on his walking stick. "What do you make of this Severus?"  
"I am not sure Albus; obviously it is a message to remind Miss Granger of her situation but for what reason?" Severus said as he stood and began pacing the office.  
"How is Miss Granger? I assume she contacted you to let you know?"  
"Yes, I was leaving here when she contacted me and I rushed to her room immediately. She said that she heard something outside…outside…" Severus broke off and froze mid-step. The wheels in his head were turning with the details that the girl had told him. 'She said she heard a noise coming from my side of the door. Which means that the perpetrator was in my quarters; which means they're still there now!'  
"Albus we need to get to my quarters! Miss Granger said that she heard a noise from my side of the door which means that whoever is in there broke through my wards but I place a curse on the door that if anyone but I or Miss Granger stood in front of it they would be stuck there!" Severus said this quickly before striding over to the fireplace. He threw a handful of floo powder into the fire yelling "my quarter's" then stepped through. Albus followed him seconds later and they hurried over to the door in question.  
There was no one standing there which vexed Albus but Severus bent down to pick up a single blonde hair that had been lying on the floor. Next to the piece of hair was a message written in the feline's blood that read "beware". That single word both made Severus' blood boil and also freeze at the same time. He turned to Albus who immediately seemed to understand his intent and nodded brusquely. Severus summoned his robes and mask and with a quick touch of his wand to his mark he was gone.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus walked into the Library to see Lucius Malfoy already squirming on the floor with his master's wand trained on him. Voldemort looked up at him and canceled the curse giving the blonde of reprieve.  
"Ah, Ssseverusss I'm sure by now that you have been made aware of Lucius' disobedience."  
"Yes my lord, I was simply coming to inquire as to whether the attack was ordered or not but I see that it was not." Severus said in a cool voice but looked down at the figure on the floor in disgust.  
"No, it seems that Lucius had his own agenda and needs to be reminded that I am his master and he should not act without my word. Your slave is uninjured yes?"  
"Yes my lord, her cat was the one that was attacked and she was distraught. The cat is a Kneazle my lord, and her familiar." Severus said in a dead tone.  
"Lucius, you were given order's not to mess with Ssseverusss toy, and you have disobeyed me. Why?" Voldemort hissed at the man.  
Severus watched the man stagger to his feet to answer their master.  
"My lord, Draco has reported that it is a ploy; he says that the mudblood is still unbroken and constantly undermines Severus. He seems to think that it is simply an act that Severus truly has no hold over the mudblood at all." The blonde finished this sentence by spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor.  
Severus watched as his master turned his red eyes to his own black ones and felt him prod his mind. He quickly showed him a fabricated memory that showed him raping Hermione then the conversation afterwards. He showed the girl's determination to resist his orders and how he had handled it. His master pulled out of his mind so abruptly that Severus almost stumbled backwards.  
"Lucius, your son seems to be incorrect and even if he were not I am your master which means you take no action without my say so." Voldemort cast the curse again and Severus stood watching the blonde fall to his knees again. He saw a bubble of blood form at Lucius' lips and knew that there was extensive internal damage. "Severus, what do you suppose we do?" Voldemort had broken the curse when he asked Severus and looked at his most faithful servant.  
"Whatever punishment you decide on my lord is most sufficient for me, I wouldn't think of telling you how to discipline your followers." Severus said these words silkily and the snake-like man made a sound of amusement.  
"Ssseveruss you are the most faithful servant, unlike some of the other scum that call themselves loyal." He returned to torturing Lucius until Severus broke the silence.  
"My lord, if I may I must return to the school. My absence will be noted by the old man if I am away for too long." He received his dismissal from his master and he left the library quickly not wanting to watch the torture anymore.  
He walked back to his quarters when he had arrived back at Hogwarts and decided to check on the girl once before going to bed. He opened the door leading to her rooms and crept silently over to the bed seeing that she was asleep he turned to leave. Her cat picked up his head and meowed at him quietly so he reached over to rub his fingers under the cat's chin. "Keep her safe," He said softly and the cat meowed again. He left the room leaving the sleeping girl and the cat behind his back was turned so he didn't see the smile that spread across Hermione's lips.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hermione was angry; no she wasn't angry she was furious. Harry was sitting in front of her and Ron explaining about the events that had taken place in the girl's bathroom on the 4th floor. She knew that the news was bad news but Harry had refused to listen to her.  
"Hermione, I saw his wrist! He is a death eaters, he deserved it!" Harry argued with her.  
"I don't care Harry, I told you to turn that book over and now look; you almost killed a student. You are incredibly lucky that Professor Snape was nearby to heal him and stop the bleeding. You need to be more careful and not use random spells that are written places." Hermione snapped at him. He had enough sense to look ashamed but he rallied quickly.  
"I told you he was a death eater Hermione, I told you both at the beginning of the year and I was right."  
"Yes, he is a death eater but what are you planning to do exactly? Go to Dumbledore? Or take care of him yourself?" Hermione said waspishly.  
"I-I don't know," Harry answered her honestly.  
"I'm going to bed; I hope you realize the seriousness of your actions Harry because you are lucky you only received a detention with Professor Snape." Hermione said then huffed away. She heard Ron tell Harry that she was right but she continued walking. She walked into her room to see that Abaven and Crookshanks were laying side-by-side on her bed.  
"Hello Griffin," Hermione said as she sat down to stroke his feathers.  
The griffin purred into her caress and looked at her through heavy lids. "Hello dear, hope you don't mind I let myself in."  
"Not at all, it's good that Crooks has company maybe it'll keep him from getting attacked again." She said shooting her cat a quick look. He appeared to be sleeping but his ears were pricked forward in a way that told her he was listening. He had a scar where the dagger had been and the fur hadn't grown back yet. It seemed to be that the dagger was cursed causing the skin around it to be unable to regrow his fur.  
She stood to walk into her bathroom when a knock sounded on her door that led to Snape's rooms. "Come in," She said quietly and smiled when Snape walked into her rooms.  
"Are you ready for a small training session?" He asked her looking at his familiar momentarily before returning his eyes to her. She nodded and sat in the chair by her desk waiting from him to conjure his own and sit down.  
"Legiliems" Snape said without preamble and Hermione put her blocks up. She had been reading about being able to view someone's memories while they were trying to view yours because their walls would be down. She slipped in unnoticed by Snape until she came to a memory she didn't recall. The memory showed Snape raping her and then a conversation afterwards. As the memory shift to one where Snape was standing before Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy she felt herself being shoved forcefully from his mind.  
"Where did you learn that?" Snape snarled at her.  
She was taken aback by the venom in her voice but answered, "I read it in a book. Where did you get that memory, I don't remember that."  
"Of course you wouldn't stupid girl; I fabricated it for the Dark Lord's amusement." He looked extremely angry at her.  
"I am not stupid Professor," she said sounding every bit as childish as she could.  
"You certainly act like it sometimes," He snapped at her.  
"So do you, sir."  
He was in front of her in an instant leaning towards her putting his face near to hers. "I am still your professor Miss Granger you will show the proper respect."  
"You sure seem to be reminding me of your position in authority professor, though your actions tell a different story." She hissed at him feeling her anger rise again.  
"That was a mistake, Miss Granger, one that will never happen again. Rest assured, I have learned the error of my ways quite well."  
Hermione reared back from him as if he'd slapped her and felt tears well in her eyes. "Get out."  
"Excuse me?" He said with his eyes widening.  
"I said get out, sir." She repeated in a deadly calm voice.  
"Oh do stop being a petulant child, it is unbecoming of you."  
"A lot of things seem to be unbecoming of me Snape, getting raped by my professor, telling you to go away, do I need to continue or is that enough evidence for you?" She said to him in a sarcastically sweet voice. She watched the color drain from his face as he took in her words.  
"You seem to be laboring under the impression that I enjoyed doing that but let me lay that assumption to rest. I did not enjoy using your body at all, but I did what I had to do in order to keep your bushy head alive." He said in a low voice.  
"It was your selfishness that put me in the position in the first place. You are the one that pledged yourself to that monster."  
"You are a selfish brat."  
"Well I have a teacher who seems to be very good at showing me how it's done." She screamed at him though his face was only inches from her. He grabbed the back of her head forcefully and crashed his lips on hers with bruising force. She went ridged but relaxed into his kiss slowly.  
Severus didn't know why he kissed her but he wanted to shut her mouth and stop the biting words they were exchanging. He ran his tongue across her lower lip and almost moaned when he felt her open to him exploring his mouth with her own tongue. She placed her hand into his hair keeping him from pulling away not that he had any plans to; when breathing became a necessity they pulled away gasping for breath and looking at each other.  
"We can't keep doing this," He said huskily as he placed his lips against her throat.  
"Uhm, doing what?" Hermione replied curiously, his lips were making thought very hard for her to stay on topic.  
"Kissing. Being together at all, you are my student and it's improper." He said as he nibbled on her ear lobe causing goose bumps to pop up all over her skin.  
Hermione's brain finally caught up to his words and she pulled away gently. "You're right, we can't do this."  
He took a deep breath to calm himself before stepping away from her. "No, we can't." He turned quickly and disappeared leaving a confused and disappointed Hermione behind. She looked over to see Abaven pretending to be asleep. "You can open your eyes now." She said and the griffin opened his eyes.  
"When are you going to tell him?" he said.  
"Tell him what?" Hermione asked as she crawled into bed.  
"That you love him," Came his simple reply.  
Hermione turned off the lights then lay there in the dark for a while; she rolled over onto her side to go to sleep.  
"Never." She answered as she drifted to sleep.  
On the other side of the door Severus Snape's eyes widened in shock.


	14. A Riddle for a Spy

Severus was sipping his coffee the next morning contemplating the conversation he overheard the previous night when he saw Potter race into the hall. He stopped for a minute searching the hall but then sprinted off again; he came to a sliding halt behind Hermione and he watched her turn her head to give Harry her ear. Severus felt a prickle of something in his stomach as he saw the teen boy lean into the girl and whisper in her ear. He watched curiously as Hermione stood and they both ran down the table towards the female Weasley again Potter whispering something and then the three of them barreled out of the hall at break-neck speed.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hermione, Harry, and Ginny ran into the Hospital Wing towards the bed holding Ron. Madame Pomfrey looked up at the sound of thundering feel and rolled her eyes.  
"He needs rest you three so keep quiet." She said sternly and waited for the students to nod before she walked away.  
Hermione sat in the chair placed by his bed while Harry and Ginny sat on either side of the bed. She looked around when she heard more footsteps to see Professor's Dumbldore, Snape, and McGonagall walking up the ward towards them. A figure suddenly burst around them and Hermione felt the urge to vomit as Lavender Brown walked to the bed.  
"Won-Won, oh my Won-Won. What are you doing here?" She snapped at Hermione.  
"I'm his friend," Hermione started but a high pitched screeching laugh cut her off.  
"Oh don't make me laugh. You didn't want anything to do with him yesterday but now that he's all interesting—"  
"He's been poisoned you dumb bimbo, that's not interesting." She snarled at the brunette but at that moment Ron fidgeted on the bed turning all attention to him.  
"'er-mi-nee." Ron groaned in his sleep and Hermione felt herself blush. She looked around as Lavender ran out of the wing crying but an angry looking Professor Snape caught her eye instead. Their gazes met but he didn't hold it instead he looked away and turned saying, "Love sick teenagers Albus, disgusting" then strolled out of the hall.  
Hermione watched him go before she made an excuse to leave hearing Professor Dumbledore say something about young love but she was through the doors before he could finish. She looked around the corridor and saw the robes of the man she was seeking whip around a corner so she hurried after him.  
"Professor!" She said as she rounded the corner. Snape froze and turned towards her slowly the angry look still on his face. "Professor, what—"  
"What do you want Miss Granger?" He said viciously making Hermione stop instantly and narrow her eyes.  
"What is your problem?"  
"You are Miss Granger, now what is it you require?" He said in a bored voice that made Hermione's blood boil with irritation.  
"A change in your attitude firstly," She said walking towards the man again. He glared at her before looking around the corridor then walked forward and snatched her wrist roughly. He dragged her along behind him for a few paces before he opened an empty classroom door and shoved her in roughly.  
"What in the bloody hell is your problem?" She snarled at him as he shut the door and warded it.  
"Why did you come after me? Your boyfriend is lying in the hospital wing." He snarled at her.  
"Ronald is not my boyfriend, he's my best friend and I care about his—Are you jealous?" She asked incredulously.  
"I am not 16 Miss Granger; I don't get jealous of stupid teenagers and their flings." He said calmly. Hermione looked at him suspiciously and decided to test his statement.  
"Then I'll just back to my boyfriend shall I?" She said airily and she reached around him to open the door. She felt his hand encircle her wrist again and she looked up at him innocently. "Was there something you wanted Professor?"  
He stared at her for a second searching her face then let go of her wrist and shook his head. "No, Miss Granger, I don't want anything." He looked away from her face at last and bowed his head slightly before stepping to the side to let her exit. She looked between him and the door debating her options but she stepped up to him. She reached her hand up to brush his hair back from where it was hiding his face and tucked it behind his ear.  
"I do." She said quietly in a whisper. His head jerked up to look at her as if surprised to see her standing before him and so close as well.  
"Excuse me?" He asked stupidly.  
"You said there wasn't anything you wanted, there's something I want." She said patiently waiting for him to catch up to her thought line.  
"And what would that be Miss Granger?" He sneered at her pulling his head away from her head jerkily. Hermione ignored his actions and cupped the back of his head pulling it towards her and standing on her tippy toes to press her lips to his. His lips stayed in the firm line but she wasn't deterred, she simply kissed him firmly then pulled away gently. He was looking down at her in slightly confusion and shock as she stepped away from him.  
"You'll figure it out sir, you're intelligent after all." She smirked at him then opened the door and stepped through shutting it firmly and walking away.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus stared at the space she had been occupying until her footsteps had faded completely. 'She had kissed him; she had come after him to…to… to what? He was confused at the emotions that were coursing through his body because they were so unfamiliar. He had seen her sitting by the Weasley boy holding his hand gently and it had bugged him. No, not bugged him, he wanted to hex the boy. What a stupid thought really, to hex someone who was ill in the first place. He exited them room with his mind still on the girl that was due to be in his classroom in 20 minutes. What had she meant by 'you'll figure it out'?' He scowled as he walked to his classroom not paying attention to anyone that crossed his path. He entered to classroom and walked to sit behind his desk to mull over her words only looking up when the class started to enter. He watched as the girl walked in with her friend and sat down next to him immediately preparing to take notes on the lecture.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hermione watched the man walk around the front of the classroom while he lectured and she found herself watching the way he walked. It wasn't like the boys she knew, it was measured and graceful as if he were gliding along on air. She shook her head as she had to remind herself that he wasn't a boy, he was a man. 'Her professor', she reminded herself firmly and pulled her thoughts from that dangerous area. The class was told to pair off and there was a flurry of movement as everyone paired up. They were practicing a charm that would render the other person's magic incapacitated for a few minutes giving the opponent a chance to get away. They were also supposed to block the spell thrown at them silently. Hermione managed to incapacitate Harry within the first few minutes so she looked around the room waiting for his power to return. Her eyes once again fell on her Professor as he walked among the pairs giving snide comments here and there. Her attention was quickly brought back to Harry as she saw a curse flying towards her but she blocked it. It knocked her backwards though onto the floor and she looked up at Harry who was staring at her in shock and anger. He ran towards her quickly and helped her off the ground as she rubbed where her elbow had connected with the ground.  
"Opps, sorry Mublood, guess I missed, or not." Malfoy drawled from behind her. His eyes widened when Hermione spun around and walked over to him promptly pulling her fist back and shoving it into his face. She smirked at the satisfying crunch of bone as her fist connected and she pulled her fist back again prepared to punch again but before her punch could make its mark she found her wrist pulled away from his face.  
"Miss Granger, 50 points from Gryffindor and a week's worth of detention." Snape's voice said silkily.  
Hermione opened her mouth to argue but she felt Snape's grip on her wrist tighten and see looked into his eyes. She closed her mouth quietly and pulled her wrist from his grasp saying "Yes sir" softly as she walked back to Harry. She saw him open his mouth to yell at Snape but she jabbed him hard in the ribs to stop him and she shook her head.  
The bell rang signaling the end of the class and she walked out of the room with Harry by her side pondering over the look she had seen in her professor's eyes. It wasn't the anger and malice that she was expecting, it was pride and something else she couldn't quite place.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus was sitting at his desk grading papers while he waited for the girl to show up for her detention. It was hard to punish her and show Malfoy favoritism when he really wanted to punch the boy in the face himself. He loved the boy as a godfather should but his arrogant pure-blood superiority his father shoved down his throat made Severus cringe.  
He heard a knock on his door and said "enter" not looking up as the person entered. The familiar vanilla scent reached his nose and he knew instantly that is was Hermione. He didn't look up from his marking until he was done with the essay he was grading. When he did look up it was to see that the girl was standing in front of his desk like a statue and looking at him.  
"I deserve an explanation," She said boldly as his eyes met hers. He saw the determination in her eyes that she normally got when she was working on a difficult potion or essay.  
"Why do you think that I wonder," He asked sitting back in his chair in an unusual display of casualness. His eyes widened in surprise as she walked around his desk to lean against it near his chair.  
"You only punished me because you had to." He noticed that it wasn't a question but a statement and a true one at that.  
"That means little Miss Granger, I simply tire of some of my houses' attitudes." He replied with an offhand air.  
"I see." She said as she walked away from him. "What do you wish me to do Professor?" She had crossed to stand in front of his desk again.  
"Clean the desks." Severus said as he pulled his grading back towards him and ignored her again.  
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him but turned to the pile of cauldrons in the back of the class with a huff. She pulled her robes off to reveal her uniform underneath and rolled up her sleeves. She grabbed the first cauldron and began to scrub it ignoring the eyes she felt on her back as she worked. She imagined Malfoy's face being each of the cauldrons and as the result she spent more time than necessary on each one but they were also very clean.  
Severus glanced up periodically as she worked and admired the muscles working in her back and arms as she scrubbed. Her hair was left down which caused it to curl around her face where she had sweated; it fell to the middle of her back and swayed gently with her movements. She was biting her lip in concentration as she scrubbed which made Severus want to go rescue the poor thing before she bit it off. A burning through his arm made him hiss and he saw her look up at him with a crinkled forehead. He stood quickly and went to retrieve his robes and mask before walking over to where she was working.  
"You're dismissed Miss Granger, go back to your dormitory." He said briskly.  
"You'll call if you need me?" She asked him uncertainly.  
He stared at her for a minute before nodding his head jerkily and touching his wand to his mark disappearing.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hermione walked into the common room to see Harry and Ron playing wizard's chest so she sat down to watch. She and Ron had come to an agreement of sorts that afternoon at dinner and their friendship was mended for the most part.  
"What'd the greasy git make you do?" Ron asked her not looking away from the game.  
"Scrub cauldrons. The usual." She answered trying not to glare at him for his insult. She was nervously fidgeting with her bracelet and Harry noticed.  
"Where'd you get that?" He asked as he grabbed her wrist to look at it.  
"Um—," She tried to think of a lie but as Ron grabbed her arm firmly in his hand she felt her throat close up and she began to panic. She tried to pull her arm away but the hold Ron had on it was too tight and she felt herself start breathing quickly.  
"Where'd you get this?" He asked accusingly. "From Krum? Or some other boy you're screwing?"  
"Ron let go over her," Harry said as he tried to pull the boy's hand off her arm.  
Ron stood up and dragged Hermione with him as he still had her arm tightly in his hand. "Where did you get it Hermione?" His voice was angry and his eyes were too as he looked at her.  
"Ron, let go!" Harry yelled. Hermione started hyperventilating as flashes of the night of her attack came rushing back to her.  
***Flashback****  
She woke up in a dark damp room feeling groggy and she looked around unable to recognize her surroundings. She noticed that she was naked as she searched for her wand but a noise stopped her in her tracks.   
"The Dark Lord wants to see you mudblood." A voice said that she recognized. A hand closed around her upper arm firmly in a bruising grip and dragged her out of the room. She saw a flash of blonde hair and realized that the person was Lucius Malfoy. She was suddenly thrust onto the floor in a brightly lit room and she had to blink several times to adjust her eyes to the light. As she took in the room she saw a number of people in black robes and silver masks standing around her in a circle. A noise behind her made her whip her head around and she looked up the body standing before her. Big mistake. As soon as her brown eyes met the evil red ones she felt like her brain was going to turn to mush for the assault Voldemort was shoving onto her mind. She redoubled her efforts on her blocks and his angry noise told her that she had succeeded. Pain sliced itself through her arm again as she was grabbed again and dragged to her feet. She was held up while Voldemort tortured her with various curses and hexes until she heard a name she recognized. She was dropped back onto the floor roughly only to be picked back up this time staring into the eyes that she was familiar with. Professor Snape, her mind registered before she had to focus on his words.  
***End Flashback***  
She felt the hand being ripped away from her arm as Harry punched Ron in the nose. She stumbled away from him blindly to look down at her arm where bruises were already showing up on her arm.  
"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked bringing his eyes down to her level. She nodded blankly not really paying attention to his question. A burning suddenly went up her arm from her bracelet and she looked down to see Snape's message telling her to meet her in his quarters. She numbly turned from Harry and walked out of the portrait hole mumbling about the hospital wing.  
She walked towards Snape's quarters as though she were having an out of body experience. She knew she was walking but she didn't seem to have any control over her body. She walked through the door into his quarters and straight towards him without stopping once.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Severus looked up as Hermione walked into his quarters and knew something was off immediately. She was walking towards him blindly though she didn't seem to really be seeing him. She looked like she was imperios'ed as she walked in front of him and began to heal the cut he had on his side. He looked down at her arm and felt his anger spike when he saw a handprint there. He placed his hand over the handprint to compare and saw that it wasn't his but it was a male's handprint.  
Hermione felt the hand back on her arm and she snapped out of her flashback to see the black eyes of her professor. She screamed at the top of her lungs and stumbled backwards to get away from him not stopping until her back hit a wall. She looked around her and saw that she was in his quarters. She looked back at the man himself and saw that he had blood on his hands then she saw his injury.  
"Oh Professor, I'm sorry." She said as she stumbled back over to him falling on her knees to continue to heal him but she felt his fingers under her chin forcing her to look at him.  
"I deserve an explanation Miss Granger." He said in a serious voice and she bowed her head knowing that she would have to give him one.


	15. Sleeping with a Spy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione took a deep breath and avoided looking at him as she began her explanation.

"Ron saw the bracelet on my wrist and Harry asked who it was from. Ron went a bit mental and grabbed my arm asking me where I got it and then started throwing accusations around about if it was Viktor or some other boy I was screwing and the whole time his hand was tightening on my arm. Harry tried to get him off me but he just gripped tighter and I sort of um, um, flashed back to that night and only came around when Harry punched Ron then the you called for me so I left but I was still kind of remembering the attack so when you touched my arm where he had it triggered the same fear and… yeah." She finished lamely still not looking at him but she could feel his gaze on her.

"I see," He said in a flat tone that made her eyes finally find his. She flinched back at the anger that was lying there and she began to stand up.

"I'll just leave and go back to my dormitory. Uh, take a blood replenishing potion as well as a healing potion for that." She said as she walked to the door but she felt a gently hand on her wrist before she got more than a few steps. She looked down at his hand on her wrist then back at her professor with a question in her eyes.

Severus took a deep calming breath as he stood to stand in front of her. He put his finger under her chin coaxing her face to tip up to hers and he brought his lips down to hers gently. She sighed against his lips and opened for his tongue when it ran across her lip. He deepened the kiss and pulled her against his body tangling his hand with her hair. He felt her hand come up to cup the back of his neck and he moaned into her mouth at her light caress. He pulled away gently to look at her and felt his stomach tighten at the golden amber color her eyes had become. Her eyes held desire and confusion at the end of the kiss but he lifted the corner of his mouth reassuringly.

"Did you-you mean what you said today?" He asked watching her closely.

"Yes, Ron had shown me that he is not who I want, but that was before tonight and before today." She said confidently.

"I am not easy or a pleasant man Miss Granger," He said firmly and frowned when she laughed. "Why are you laughing at me?" He said hotly.

Hermione quickly stopped laughing when she realized that he thought she was laughing at him. "I'm not laughing at you sir, but don't you think we can drop the formalities? Calling me 'Miss Granger' kind of kills the mood."

He nodded his agreement before trying her name out of his tongue. "Hermione." He watched as her eyes darkened more.

"Severus." Hermione replied and he quite liked the sound of it on her lips. He opened his mouth to speak again but she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him and all thoughts of talking left him entirely. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and he let her explore his mouth before he pulled her back towards him. His hand found its way back into her hair and he pulled his hand through the thick tresses. His other hand trailed down to her waist and let it rest on her hip.

Hermione felt his hand move to her hip but she didn't feel the panic she thought she would. She pressed herself against his body testing how it would feel and again was surprised that she didn't feel any panic. His thumb had slipped under her shirt to rub the soft skin of her hip bone gently and she reached up to unbutton his Death Eater robes. How odd that these were the same robes he had been wearing that night but he didn't seem like the same man. That one seemed controlling, abusive, and evil but this one before her seemed kind, gentle, and caring. She pushed his robes off of his broad shoulders and heard them whisper to the ground unnoticed by both of them. She began to unbutton his white undershirt but his hands grabbed her wrists in a halting hold. She pulled away from their kiss to look into his eyes and saw the question in his. She smiled at him warmly before going on tiptoe to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Severus couldn't believe that she was standing before him with the offer in the air between them. His mind was warring with his body and his mind was winning that is until she pressed her lips to the base of his neck. He swallowed roughly against her nose and gently led her to his bedroom giving her a chance to pull away and change her mind. She walked behind him willingly following him into the room and looking around the familiar place. Abaven was lying on the bed when they entered but looked up as they entered before he jumped down and slunk out of the room.

"I've just realized that I missed dinner, terribly hungry now. Might have to have feast that will last an hour or so." He said pointedly not looking over his shoulder at the pair who were wearing matching smirks.

Hermione pulled Severus' head down to hers for another kiss and they picked up where they left off. She began to unbutton his shirt again smiling when he made no move to stop her. His own hands drifted to the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up slowly, questioningly, giving her a chance to again stop him but she lifted her arms up and he pulled it off her.

Severus looked down at her bra clad breasts which were rising and falling with her shallow breaths. He bent his head to kiss her neck and nipped her ear lobe gently making her gasp. He raised his head to smile at her before he bent it again. He pushed her hips gently until the back of her knees hit the bed and she crawled backwards onto it. He froze again as his brain reminded him that she was his student but when she looked at him with desire darkening her eyes those thoughts were extinguished. He walked to the side of the bed and sat down before turning again to her capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

Hermione lay back against the pillows as his lips left hers making a path down her neck to her chest. When he reached her bra he pulled her up to unsnap it and pulled it off tossing it across the room before he turned his attention back to her breasts. She watched with bated breath as he kissed slowly across her breasts to her nipples. When his mouth enclosed over her nipple her back arched into his mouth and she brought her hand up to his hair pushing him into her chest. She kept waiting for that panic to set in but so far it hadn't managed to at all.

Severus felt her response to his mouth and felt blood surge to his semi-hard member. He feasted on her nipples craving the reaction she gave him continuously. Her left nipple puckered in his mouth and he bit down gently hearing her gasp above him in pleasure. He pulled his mouth from her abused peak to give the same treatment to the other. She ran her hands through his hair occasionally tugging roughly when she arched into his mouth. Once he had paid equal attention to her breasts he left them to trail his tongue and lips downwards.

Hermione looked down and saw that he was kissing his was to her pants. She lifted her hips when he had undone her buttons and zipper allowing him to take them off. She was naked before him and she felt herself blush under his gaze. She was starting to panic but not in the way she expected, it was a tightening in her stomach that was closer to anticipation. She felt him nudge her legs apart and she complied but she put her hand down to cover her most intimate part.

"Move your hand." Severus gently commanded but she shook her head. He noted the embarrassed flush on her face so he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and slipped his tongue gently between her fingers. "Hermione let me see you." She slackened her fingers but didn't remove her hand so he again slipped his tongue between her fingers and heard her gasp when his tongue came into contact with her slick folds. "Remove your hand." He repeated and smirked when she pulled her hand back a few inches.

Hermione felt herself grow more embarrassed as she felt his fingers come up to part her folds lightly but then he flicked his tongue over her swollen clit and all embarrassment fled. She moaned when he ran his tongue down her slit to her entrance and he prodded it with his tongue. His tongue repeated the path a few more times until he took her oversensitive clit into his mouth and sucked. She felt his finger gently enter her and she grabbed the sheets in her fists. She felt him add another finger to join the other and her stomach tightened as he sucked harder on her clit. She felt as though a spark had lit in her lower belly which quickly grew into a raging fire as he began to pump his fingers slowly.

Severus released her clit to run his tongue down to where his fingers were buried in her tight entrance and he licked the juices that had gathered there. He felt her walls tighten around his fingers and knew she was close to her climax so he returned his mouth to her clit sucking once, twice, three times before she shattered around him with lusting moan. He continued his ministrations until her walls stopped contracting and he pulled his fingers from her.

Hermione watched him through heavy eyelids as he stood to remove the rest of his clothing. He pushed his trousers and boxers down to the floor before he stood back up. She looked at his erection in wonder and slight fear as he sat back down on the bed next to her. She reached out to touch it but his hand closed around hers and she looked up into his eyes.

"If you do that, I won't last." He said simply and she blushed at his meaning. She lay back down on her back and held herself stiffly. She waited for him to move on top of her and when he didn't she opened one eye to look at him. "You don't have to do this Hermione," He said gently trailing his fingers lightly over her side and hips. She leaned up to capture his lips and moved over slightly so that her body was lying mostly under his.

He shifted to his knees and knelt in between her legs pushing them wider with his legs so that she was spread before him again. She watched him in awe as he reached his fingers down to gather some of her juices before he spread it on himself. His penis was fully erect and his head was purple with need; she felt her stomach tighten again with anticipation. He shifted his weight again so that his hands were on either side of her shoulders and she felt his blunt head nudging her opening.

She nodded at him when he looked up at her to check if she was ready and he gently pressed forward. She gasped his hips tightly in her hands to slow his movements at the burning that had begun. He stilled completely though she could feel his penis throbbing in her. She pulled his hips towards her gently and he slid inside of her more. His jaw was clenched in what looked like pain so she removed her hands quickly.

"Sorry," She said with tears jumping to her eyes. "I'm-I'm hurting you. I don't know what to do."

Severus' eyes jerked to hers and he saw her tears he withdrew from her completely then lay on his back. When she started to curl onto her side with tears streaming down her face he stopped her with his hand. Hermione looked at him to see him lying on his back with his erection standing proudly in the air. He guided her so that she was straddling his hips with her sitting directly on him though he wasn't entering her.

Hermione understood his intention and felt her heart surge at his gesture. She lifted her hips up and he reached down to hold himself steady as she lowered herself slowly. The burning began again but this time she was able to stop her decent until it subsided then she sank down more. She tipped her head back at the feeling of him stretching her walls in a new way. The burning had faded to a sensation that made her feel full rather than in pain. He removed his hand as she sank the rest of the way down and he was fully inside her. She lifted her hips again before she slid back down quicker than before and was happy to find that the burning had left completely. She felt the fire spark in her stomach that had gone out when the pain started and she ground her hips again him.

Severus watched her explore above him through half closed eyes and had to keep himself in check so he didn't cum just from the sight of her above him. She stopped with him deep inside her and was looking at him in a curious way.

"Could um-like before?" She asked as her cheeks burned bright red again from embarrassment but he simply rolled her onto her back never leaving her body. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he withdrew slowly then plunged back into firmly.

He leaned down to kiss her passionately as he kept the pace slow and easy but soon she was thrusting her hips up to his so he picked the pace up. Kissing became difficult as their pace quickened so they broke apart but their faces stayed close together. Hermione reached up to push his hair away from his face and he turned his head to bite her palm causing her to moan out loud. He repositioned them so that with every stroke he was rubbing her ready clit and she quickly felt herself reaching the edge of her climax.

"Cum for me witch, let me feel you around me," He said in a husky voice. She reached her hands up to his sides as her head tipped back and with one more precision touch of her clit she went over the edge feeling wave after wave of pleasure wash over her. Her nails dug into his side unconsciously causing exquisite pain to mix with pleasure and her clenching walls pulled his own release from him. He thrust once more deep into her as his seed shot deep into her body as he blinked hard to clear his vision. He felt himself shake from the force of his release and he had to rest his head on her shoulder to calm his heart.

Once their breath had slowed to normal Severus shifted to the side so that he was lying behind her. Hermione began to sit up in look for her clothing but she felt his arm encircle her waist and pull her against him.

"Stay."

It wasn't a command nor was it a question. It was simply a single word that made her do as he said and she lay down in front of him. The last thing she saw before she drifted to sleep was a griffin sneaking into the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus looked up as his familiar slunk into the room and jumped onto the bed near him.

"She cannot stay here Severus," He said sternly and Severus knew he was right. He gently moved away from the sleeping girl and said a few intricate words. She slowly vanished from the spot as did her clothes and he walked over to their joint doors to look in her room. She was lying in her bed still asleep so he shut the door quietly and padded back over to the bed.

"When are you going to tell her?" Abaven asked as he lay down next to his owner.

"Never," Severus replied sleepily repeating the word Hermione had used.

"Severus?"

"Humph?" Severus answered sleepily.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop you know." Abaven said in a low voice.

"Shut up Abaven." The griffin complied and Severus slipped into a deeply restful sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	16. A Spy's Jealousies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione stretched out in her bed the next morning as she woke up; then she bolted upright as she smelled her own vanilla scent instead of his spicy herbal one. She looked around her own room and felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. She felt her anger spike as she got out of bed and stormed to the bathroom slamming the door shut behind her.

'Why did you fall for that? You think he likes you? You think last night meant anything? Yeah right, he probably just needed another memory for Voldemort. You were just a good lay.' She furiously brushed her teeth as she glared into the mirror above her sink. She yanked her brush through her hair before she threw it across the bathroom as she sank to the floor and buried her face in her knees. She didn't know how long she sat there and cried but when her eyes felt out of tears her determination came back full force. She stood up slowly before walking into her room and getting dressed. She saw a bruise on her neck as she passed her mirror and she stopped to stare at it. She raised her wand to cover it up before she stopped and let a grin spread across her face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus watched as Hermione walked into the Great Hall and the first thing he noticed was the faint purple mark she had on her neck. His mind flashed back to the previous night and he felt his trousers become uncomfortably tight. Those thoughts stop however when she walked over to the Weasley boy and whispered in his ear. He watched as the boy brushed her hair off of her neck to reveal the bruise then he gently touched the mark. When he pulled his hand away the mark was gone and Hermione's radiant smile she gave the boy made Severus' hand tighten on his goblet. He had sent her back to her room so that there was no possibility of getting caught. She was his student, his responsibility, and sleeping with her was dangerous. It was wrong, but her spending the night, that was like inviting trouble over for a drink. He watched her throughout breakfast and his anger only spiked more and more as she flirted with not only the Weasley boy but others as well.

'Please, what did you expect? You'd give her a good time and she'd just fall at your feet? You're 39 years old and a death eater, she doesn't want you. You were just a good lay.' His mind said to his nastily and he felt his face curl into a sneer. He finished his breakfast not looking in her direction again and left the Great Hall to prepare for his first class which just happened to be hers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trio walked into Defense after breakfast and looked around at the cleared classroom; it looked like the great hall had in second year for the dueling club except there were enough platforms for all the students to pair off. Snape snapped at the students and paired them off; Harry was paired with Draco, Ron with Pansy, and Hermione with the Professor. Hermione was unconcerned about the pairing until their duel actually started and she saw the look of anger in her Professor's eyes. The black eyes that had been so tender and warm last night were not hard and ice cold today. 'It was just a good time to him Hermione, quit thinking about it.' She thought as her arm grew tired of the constant shield she was putting up. He was throwing hexes at her quickly but she was managing to throw her own back.

A flash of yellow caught her eye distracting her for a moment and his cutting hex got through her shield. She gasped in pain as she felt blood run down her arm from her should but he didn't let up. Other students were beginning to break off from their dueling to stare at their classmate and their professor dueling like they were actually fighting. Hermione felt another hex get through her shields but she sidestepped out of the way.

"50 points from Gryffindor for not blocking the hex," He sneered at her.

"What are you playing at! This is class not a battlefield." Harry's voice cut across the classroom and there was a collective nod from the other Gryffindor's.

"50 points from Gryffindor for your classmate's cheek," He said again as he turned towards the Gryffindor's who were all looking at him in anger, the Slytherin's were looking triumphant though.

Hermione felt her anger bubble over and silently sent out a nose bleed hex that connected directly with Snape's thigh as he walked away. She smirked at him as he turned back to her with blood dripping down his face. "Oops," She said simply as she walked off the platform as the bell rang. She healed her shoulder and cleaned the blood away.

"Miss Granger!" Snape snapped out and she turned to see him striding towards her angrily. "You will stay behind." The pair waited until the class had filed out, the Gryffindor's mumbling the entire way, before Hermione crossed her arms and watched him as he tried to stop the blood flow.

"Oh, that won't help; it's my own special spell that will only stop after time." Hermione said simply. She pulled something from her robes and threw it to him. "That'll help for now." She turned on her heel and walked briskly from the room before she heard his yell of anger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus couldn't believe that she had managed to hex him and not just any hex, a nose bleed hex. She thought she was so cheeky by it but as he looked at the item in his hand he growled in fury. In his hand, in a tiny pink package, was a tampon that said, "Use this next time, not me." He looked at the door where the girl had just walked through and felt for the first time like maybe she was upset about something.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione and the boys were lounging in the common room lazily eating chocolate frogs and talking when she felt her wrist burn. She looked down at her bracelet to see the words, 'Come here. Now,' written in his handwriting, she thought about ignoring it but she focused on her bracelet asking where he was and received 'ROR' almost immediately. She stood and made a show of stretching, before she grabbed a book from her bag.

"I've just remembered I have to go look something up in the library for Arithmacy." She said and was satisfied to see the boys roll their eyes. She waved as she climbed out of the portrait hole heading straight for the room of requirement. She paced in front of the stretch of wall until the door appeared and she stopped briefly to collect herself before she opened the door and stepped inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To say he was furious was an understatement, her nose bleed hex had lasted so long that he had to drink two blood replenishing potions and go to Madame Pomfrey who promptly stuck tissues up his nostrils. Oh he was livid; he had missed dinner and lunch because he was a bloody mess. He watched as she stepped into the room and when she turned her back to close the door he flicked his wand causing her to immediately be pinned to the door behind her.

"What the hell?" She said furiously as she struggled against her bindings. She glared at him and he almost smiled in sheer delight. Payback, as they said, is a witch.

"Miss Granger, 10 points for your language." His words were met with a glare that almost put his own to shame.

"Let me go," She said simply and Severus smirked as he shook his head.

"Why did you hex me today Miss Granger?" He asked simply

"Why were you acting like we were on a battlefield?" She threw back at him viciously.

"Do you make a habit of throwing yourself at every man that crosses your path like a common whore?" He snarled at her.

"Do you make a habit of fucking your students to give your master kicks?" Severus actually stepped back from the venom in her words but also from surprise at how easily she said the words. He walked up to her quickly but stopped when she pulled her wand out and pointed it at his chest.

Hermione was pissed when he called her a whore and she felt the invisible ropes loosen enough for her arms to slip out of. She kept them in their place though until he started walking towards her and then she pulled her arm down, grabbed her wand, and had it pointed at his chest before he could take more than a few steps. "Tell your master that I'm done playing your pathetic little games, I don't care what he does to you but I am no longer playing slave. You are a heartless bastard that is incapable of feeling," She spat at him ruthlessly.

"Is that what you think of me?" He asked in a calm tone that made Hermione pause. His eyes had a mixture of pain and indifference in them that would have been comical if she wasn't so angry.

"I very rarely say things I don't mean Professor," She snapped at him and Severus smirked at knowing he had gotten her.

"Then you'll know that you are a liar; you love me." He said simply and Hermione felt her heart stop. "You were just 'never' going to tell me."

Hermione felt her jaw clench in her anger, "I lied, I lied then, and I do not love you."

Severus walked towards her and wrapped his hand around her arm jerking her towards him roughly. Her body was pliant against his and he heard her breath hitch but not in fear or pain. "Do not lie to me."

"I-I'm not," She tried again but a red flush had crept up her cheeks. "I do-do not l-lov-love you."

"Liar," He said as he lowered his face to hers bringing his lips within centimeters of her but stopping. "Your body is responding to me, your heart rate is quickening, not just because you want me but because you love me."

Hermione flicked her gaze down to his lips but the words he said came back to her in a flash and she pushed him away. "I do not love you Snape, I could have perhaps, once; but that ended when you accused me of whoring around. You," Her face broke off here but she swiftly went on. "You saw my virginity being taken from me! You saw that even though I was not a virgin Voldemort sensed my innocence and that is because I have NEVER done anything with a male; until you raped me and then…then last night. It was so different, so…so—it doesn't even matter." She moved to turn around and open the door but she felt a hand on her waist making her turn.

Severus felt his anger and frustration reach the boiling point but as she said the last part his anger vanished and he reached out to touch her. He pulled her back against him firmly and whispered into her ear. "Turn around and look me in the eye; lie to me then, and I'll let you leave the room."

Hermione took a deep breath and turned to face him looking, not in his eye, but at his eyebrow and said, "I do not love you Severus Snape." His shoulders immediately slumped down and he stepped away from her watching as she closed the door behind her. She turned from the door trying to keep her tears from streaming down her face but she ran away from the door.

"Child, what is wrong?" the familiar voice of Severus' griffin called. She stopped abruptly to kneel in front of him. Severus silently slipped out of the room invisible and followed the girl's path down a floor but stopped to watch the girl and his familiar.

"Oh Abaven, have you ever just wanted to turn your back on something you know to be true simply because the risk of being hurt is too high?" Hermione asked quietly burying her face in the animal's feathery neck. "I love him Abaven, I love him so much. He's frustrating, stubborn, and everything I want but I'm scared."

Severus uncovered himself and stormed towards the girl kneeling in the corridor, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to her feet. "I knew you were lying." He said simply before he crashed his lips onto Hermione's pressing her against the wall behind her roughly but neither of them noticed. The sexual tension that had been so thick in the Room of Requirement flared once again as soon as their lips met. Severus grabbed her hips in his hands roughly and pushed her up the wall ripping her knickers away from her body. He slipped his fingers into her already dripping entrance groaning against her lips as he inserted one finger and then another.

Hermione gasped and looked around to find the griffin suddenly gone but her mind caught up as she felt Severus enter her swiftly. "We-We're going to be seen."

"I'm not a spy for nothing Miss Granger," He answered on a grunt of pleasure as he let some of her weight bear down on him. He was buried so deeply in her body that he swore he could feel her pulse in his erection. He withdrew from her almost entirely before he thrust into her again making her back scrape painfully against the cement walls. The pain only seemed to add to her pleasure though because her nails found themselves buried in his hair pulling his face to hers.

Hermione crushed her lips to his feeling him thrusting into her and trying not to moan too loudly. She whimpered when he suddenly withdrew from her body completely and spun her around so she was facing away from him. She felt his hands come around to hold her around the waist as his over hand pushed her back so that she was bent over with her hands holding onto a window sill. Before she could think about the oddity of their position she felt him thrust back into her deeply.

"I want to hear you scream me name Hermione, no one can hear you." He said as he thrust into her slick tight body. The new sensations made Hermione's stomach tighten from the pleasure that was spiraling through her body at his deep thrusts. He hand came down to gently wrap in her hair and he pulled her head back so he could whisper, "cum for me." His free hand went down to play with her clit through her soppy folds and she felt herself rush up to the edge of her climax. He released her hair and she felt his hand grip her hip forcing her back onto him as he thrust forward. The sight of her bent over in front of him made his penis throb painfully. He looked down to see himself disappearing into her tight slit covered in her juices and his head dropped back in pleasure.

Hermione felt him flick his finger over her clit once more and she was lost. "Severus… Gods… Please… Right-right there…Severus!" She said his name on her climax and the answering moan that came from him sent her completely over the edge. She dug her nails into the window sill to stay standing through her orgasm. He gripped both of her hips roughly as he thrust into her a few more times before he thrust once more emptying his seed into her body with a shout. His hips were still reflexively humping as his seed was ripped from him over and over. He pulled out of her gently letting her stand and cleaned himself with a quick spell.

Once their clothes were adjusted they melted back into view just as Ginny Weasley whipped around the corner towards them.

"Hermione! Professor Snape!" Ginny gasped out of breath. "Hogwart! There's Death Eater's in Hogwarts! Come on!" She said as she ran back down the corridor.

Hermione looked back at Severus and he was looking up the corridor behind them then at her.

"You have your bracelet?" When she nodded he said, "Keep it on. No matter what happens tonight, keep the bracelet on. Promise me?" He said urgently.

"Snap-Severus I promise, what is going on?" She asked not liking the cold look that had covered his face. He stuck his hand out and his Death Eater robes were in his hand and he was pulling them on.

"I cannot explain now, there isn't time. I will explain later, if I can, but you have to go." He said shoving her after her friend.

"But—" She said hesitantly.

Severus grabbed her again pulling her roughly to him and bringing his lips to hers in a fierce kiss. "Please, just remember to keep the bracelet on. Despite what happens and what you hear, remember to keep it on." She nodded uncertainly but took off down the corridor after her friend. "Hermione!" He shouted after her and waited for her to turn before saying loud enough for her to hear. "I-I love you."

She smiled gently before turning to run after her friend. Severus watched her go and pulled his Death Eater mask over his face. No matter what happened tonight, their lives would be changed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	17. A Spy's Betrayal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione flew down the corridor after her friend with a smile on her face that promptly left as she slid to the edge of the staircase at the horror below her. Students, teachers, and Death Eaters were all dueling with a ferocity she didn't think possible. There were older students standing in front of the younger ones fighting ferociously while the younger ones tried to stay out of sight. The feel of magical power in the hall was stifling but at the same time awe-inspiring. She'd never in her life felt so much magic swirling around her as she did at that moment, her reverie was broken however as a curse flew towards her causing her so cast a shield at the last possible second. She looked around but didn't see the black hair she was looking for, a Death Eater stepped into her path and they began to duel.

"I always wondered what Snape saw in you mudblood slut, perhaps I'll take you for my own." The taunting voice called in the voice of Lucius Malfoy. His taunts were cut short however when Hermione began firing curse after curse at him using both her wand and her hand. People around them stopped both death eaters and others alike, staring at the pair dueling. The students had never seen their classmate display such power and some felt a thrill of fear spike through them. The teachers were gob smacked at the sight of their most prized pupil fighting in such a way. Suddenly a voice alerted them all bringing their attention back to their duels. Spells started flying again as Hermione continued in her efforts to thwart the man.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several floors above the fighting Severus was dragging Draco Malfoy behind him with Death Eaters following him. He had just killed Dumbledore and he had to keep moving or else he would be sick everywhere. He knew that his life would be irrevocably changed from this moment on because of his actions but he pushed those thoughts from his mind.

As they reached the entrance hall he stopped in his tracks watching Hermione fighting with a Death Eater, the blonde hair told him that is was Lucius and he felt himself grow impressed as she fought.

"Let's go! We're finished!" He roared over the din and the Death Eaters responded to his command instantly. He was stationed at the highest authority next to Voldemort which meant that to disobey his orders would mean Voldemort's punishment as well as whatever he dished out. He ran out of the castle not once looking at his witch who glanced at him. He saw the look of concern and confusion on her face but he had no time to explain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione didn't have time to think about his statement as Harry went running through the hall after their professor. She ran after him as she heard his words drift back to her.

"Come back here you coward!" He screamed, she saw him throw a curse at the man but he deflected it easily.

"Harry!" She said as she ran to his side. She grabbed his wand arm that was raised at the wizard before them but he threw her off.

"He killed him!" He yelled at her and Hermione shook her head.

"Who Harry?"

"Snape killed Dumbledore." He snarled viciously again casting a spell at the man who again deflected it.

Hermione turned her gaze to the man who had said he loved her, who had said that she had to trust him. She felt anger well inside her as he taunted Harry about keeping his mind closed and until he did so he would be able to deflect his curses.

She raised her arm and shot a warning curse at him, he deflected it quickly but his gaze slapped to hers in shock. She flicked her wand again casting another curse only to have him deflect it. She felt Harry's gaze on her as she repeated it but this time she brought her hand up and saw with satisfaction her spell connected with Severus' chest. He stood for a minute in shock before he crumpled to the ground but she caught Harry as he ran forward.

"No Harry, go back up to the Castle! Now Harry!" She screamed in an authoritative voice. He best friend glanced between her and the man struggling to stand behind her but he turned and ran back towards the castle. She waited until he was out of sight before she rounded on the man now standing and walked towards him. She pulled her fist back and released it hard smirking as it met its mark on his face causing blood to spurt from his broken nose. "You bastard—" She began but the look on the man's face stopped her.

"I did not want to do it." He said simply staring at her with remorse and heart wrenching pain in his eyes. It wasn't pain from his bloody nose rather the pain that came from doing something he did not want to. The sincerity in his face made her stop her further assault on her and let the tears stream down her face.

"I trusted you! You-you said-said that you loved me; you said that you were on our side. You lied!" She screamed as she felt her knees grow weak. She began to feel the tax the duel with Lucius had taken on her body and felt strong arms catch her before she fell to the ground.

"Hermione, look at me." He said softly above her, he waited till her eyes met his. "I need you to remember what I told you. Keep the bracelet on you at all times, things are not going to be the same now but," His eyes flicked away from hers for a moment and she looked around to see Harry running out of the castle with McGonagall behind him. "I love you Hermione, please, please remember that." He kissed her briefly on the forehead before he whispered "stupefy" and she knew nothing else.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus smelt like a battle, all blood, sweat, and fear as he stood before his master. Voldemort was pleased that Dumbledore had been killed though was less than pleased that Draco had failed in his task.

"Please my lord," began the boy but he was silenced by a quick spell from Voldemort.

"Ssseveruss, you have done well. You all have done well, save you Draco, but you are young and Voldemort is forgiving of those whom are young." Severus watched as the boy bowed his head and was thankful that he had kept his mouth shut. Their master may be forgiving but he wouldn't hesitate to punish the boy for taking liberties.

He watched as the Dark Lord waved his wand and muggles, both men and women, some children, appeared before his followers. "Celebrate my servants. You have deserved it."

His eyes met his masters and he placed the question in his mind knowing that the Dark Lord would know to look. He stared into the red eyes for a brief moment thinking that he would be refused but as the skeleton figure bowed his head he turned quickly trying to keep the screams from entering his mind. He quickly exited the Manor and all but ran to the apparition point turning in air and disappearing quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was sitting in the hospital wing watching the people around her argue, they were all talking about Severus' obvious betrayal and she did nothing but stare into space. Her brain was trying to work so many things out, going over the conversations that her and Severus' had had over the last few months. It didn't make sense, none of it made sense. Why did he kill Dumbledore? What was the reasoning behind it? Did it have to do with Dumbledore's injury or perhaps he was ordered to do it by Voldemort? But that didn't make sense either because he had said he was a spy for Dumbledore, why would he follow the orders of Voldemort.

"He is a bastard, and I've never trusted him." She heard and she looked around to see an indignant Harry standing amidst adults. She felt the anger she had kept at bay finally snap inside her and she was on her feet in an instant.

"You are blinded by your hatred for him Harry, you say you never trusted him but he's saved your arse more times than you've deserved. There has to be a reason for this, even if you're too blinded to see it." She snarled coming to stand an inch from her best friend. She knew the entire room was staring at her in disbelief at her defense of the man she appeared to loathe.

"What the ruddy hell had gotten into you?" Ron asked her in outrage. "I know you've always defended him but that is really too far 'Mione."

"I know Snape," She said and immediately wanted to shove the words back into her mouth as Harry's eyes widened.

"What does that mean?" He asked in an accusatory voice.

"I-I just don't think he would kill Dumbledore without reason." She stuttered trying to cover her tracks. She walked away from the group and passed Lupin on the way out, who looked at her sharply with his nostrils flaring. "I'm sorry Harry; I'm just very tired and not thinking clearly. The duel with Malfoy," She began but Harry walked over to embrace her.

"You were brilliant Hermione," He said in a soft tone and she nodded before walking out of the infirmary.

She heard quick steps behind her and she turned to see Remus walking after her. He said nothing as he grabbed her hand and dragged her to a deserted classroom.

"What the—"

"How long?" He asked simply in a growling voice reminding her very much that he was a werewolf.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said stubbornly but she felt her heart beat faster as he sniffed the air again.

"Bullshit. I can smell him on you, what's more your heart rate just quickened."

"I-I don't know what—" She broke off as Remus pinned her against the wall. She felt a slice of fear run down her as she saw the look in his eyes. It wasn't only anger there but concern and part of him she knew was the wolf.

"Hermione, please do not insult my intelligence. I know the scent of sex when I smell it and what's further I know the scent of him. I know not only his outer scent but what his seed smells like, and I can smell it on you. You stand there smelling of his semen and yet you try to lie to me." Hermione gaped at him in shock but he didn't release her as she sagged in defeat.

"I only had sex with him twice, but we've been… in a relationship of sorts for a while; friendship mostly until we had sex but now, I don't know what we are, if we are anything." She said not looking into the man's eyes. She felt a finger under her chin forcing her to look at him and she relented turning her tear-filled eyes to his concerned filled ones.

"You love him." It wasn't a question she noticed and she felt tears spill down her face onto his hand burning her answer with the drops. He pulled her into his arms and she sobbed hard into his shoulder letting the full weight of the night fall onto her. The thoughts she had tried to keep at bay suddenly poured over her like hot lava causing her to fall to her knees. Remus followed her down and pulled her into his lap stroking her hair. "Oh Hermione." He said softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus was standing in the Forbidden Forest looking up at the castle. He pulled his sleeve back to reveal the bracelet he kept there sending the message that would bring the girl to him. He waited patiently as the seconds, then minutes ticked by, and he finally heard footsteps coming towards him but instead of seeing the girl he wanted he saw Remus Lupin step into the clearing.

"Severus—" He began but he soon found himself pressed against a tree with a wand pressed to his throat.

"Where is she? What happened?" Severus snarled tightening his hold until the werewolf slowed in his struggle.

"Sh-she's-castle-coming-Harry-" Remus gasped and he let go of the man watching as he slid down the tree. "She is up at the castle," He gasped holding his throat looking up into Severus' eyes and he promptly shoved into his mind to see for himself. He came across the memory of her being in Lupin's arms as he stroked her hair as she cried. Heard the words that he spoke to her and felt himself growl low in his throat.

"I'm gone for 10 minutes and she has already thrown herself at another man," He began, his wounded pride making his mouth move rather than logical thought.

"She loves you Severus," Lupin said as he gained his feet still rubbing his neck which now bore a large bruise.

"Clearly not if she could so easily run into your arms like a whore," He snapped but a gasp pulled his eyes to a figure as they entered the clearing. He knew before the figure removed its hood who it would reveal and he was right; Hermione's face came into view with an angry hurt look on her face. He had never seen a more beautiful and formidable scene than the vision she was now. She had scratches that covered her left cheek and a busted lip but her eyes sparked with life and anger as she walked towards him.

"Is that what you think of me?" She asked in a horribly quiet voice. He flinched at her tone because the pain her heard there was worse than if she had yelled at him. "Remus, go back up to the castle."

Hermione watched as he walked away having the good sense to obey her command without thought because he knew Hermione, he knew that she was livid. The calmness that she was portraying was like a puddle, you know that it's there but you don't know how deep it is. As soon as his footsteps had faded away from where she and Severus' were standing she flicked her wand instantly erecting wards around them.

"Is that what you think of me?" She repeated in the same deadened tone.

Severus started forward but she flicked her wand causing him to step backward with a simple spell. The curse hit the ground where he would have been and it burst into flame. He jerked his head up to look at her and again had to jump back when she shot a curse at him.

"Enough." He said and Hermione almost obeyed the command in his tone; but as he stepped towards her again he was driven back again by her curse. "Stop it you foolish brat."

"So I'm a whore and a foolish brat, did you have to take a potion to fuck me or what were you simply imagining someone else." She hissed to him and the image of him pounding into her flew into his mind causing him to harden instantly.

He started towards her again but waved away her spell continuing towards her furiously. Hermione looked at him in fear as he stalked towards her batting away her curses as though they were annoying flies. He grabbed her hand and pulled her forward putting her hand over his obvious erection rubbing her hand into it roughly. "Does that banish your concerns? I want no one witch, no one but you. You dare stand there with my semen still in your womb and question MY relations."

"Jealous does not become you Miss Granger," He said as he released her wrist but her hand stayed on his crotch.

"And murder does not become you," he flinched at her words but her hand had started to rub his length firmly through his robes.

"I did not murder him," He said through clenched teeth as she rubbed him.

"You killed him," She said simply moving her hands up to unbutton his trousers shoving them down his legs setting his raging hard-on free.

"Stop touching me," He ordered but her hand wrapped around his length causing his breath to hitch.

"Why? Isn't this what whores do?" She asked in a firm voice and he felt his anger break the reigns he firmly held. He shoved her back firmly until her back jabbed sharply against a tree, she stared at him defiantly.

He bound her hands above her head then ripped her pants off her body; he tore her shirt open leaving her bare to his eyes. He shoved his knees in between her thighs forcing her legs apart before he lowered his hand to her soaking slit. "You certainly respond the way a whore does."

Hermione's anger piqued but was quickly soothed as she felt him roughly insert his finger into her slick passage. Her head dropped back against the tree but he forcibly grabbed her chin. "I require my whores to watch as I pleasure them." He said in a low threatening voice as he lowered himself to his knees. She felt him slip a hand under her left leg lifting it then setting it on his shoulder. She looked down at his head as she felt his breath whisper over her clit and she resisted the urge to close her eyes. He licked her once from bottom to top sucking on her clit for a moment before standing up. Hermione looked at his face and saw that he had a haunted look on his face; he waved his hand causing her arms to be released and he stepped away from her.

"Leave." The word was short and brisk as he tucked his still hard penis back into his trousers. He bowed his head and waited for the sounds of her retreating footsteps but when he didn't hear them he looked up to see her staring at him. "Get out of here." He hissed in his best professor voice but she simply walked towards him.

Hermione touched his face gently, running her thumb over his lower lip. He shoved her hand away roughly, "Get away from me." He ordered but again she ignored him reaching for him again.

"No." She said defiantly and he jerked around to look at her with burning eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	18. A Spy's Hesitation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What are you still doing here? Get out of my sight!" He hissed at her hoping to scare her away.

"No." She repeated in the same defiant voice. Hermione knew she was fighting a dangerous war but she refused to let his harsh words affect her.

"You have to leave, I'm dangerous. I'm a murderer, a Death Eater that has just killed Albus Dumbledore." He spat rounding on her furiously.

"You are a Death Eater, you did kill Dumbldore, and you are a dangerously powerful wizard." She confirmed watching him steadily his eyes bore into her as a sneer curved his mouth.

"Then what are you doing here still? Get away from me you silly child."

"No." She repeated again more firmly than before. She stood her ground as he marched over to her again and grabbed her.

"You are a stupid Gryffindor, all heart with no brain activity involved."

She grabbed a hunk of his hair ignoring the growl that escaped his mouth; she tugged hard forcing him to look at her. "Do you think that I don't know what you are? You think I wasn't aware of your power when I had sex with you? You think I didn't know you were a Death Eater when I had sex with you? You think I did not know exactly what you are capable of and exactly what your job was when I told you I love you. For an intelligent wizard Severus, you have got to be the stupidest man on the face of the earth." When she finished the end of her sentence her voice was almost a whisper and underneath it there was a pleading note.

Severus stared at her in pure shock; she knew what he was had seen and heard what he did but still, here she was standing before him. "Foolish Gryffindor," He grumbled before he pulled her to him in a crushing hug. Her lips sought his and he kissed her gently trying to maintain the hold on his control he had firmly.

"God Severus, please, I want you." She whimpered against his neck as she nibbled on his pulse there. He tried to keep his head clear as she bared his chest nipping his pectoral muscle roughly.

"We, we can't, it's not-not, Hermione please." He begged but she paid him no mind. She pulled his once again rock hard erection from his trousers and began stroking him again. "Her-Hermione, we-ahhhh," His voice broke as he suddenly felt his sensitive being licked by her tongue. His head tipped back in pure pleasured agony as she took him into her mouth sucking hard. His hands clenched repeatedly as he tried to keep himself from touching her. "Sto-stop."

Hermione heard his broken voice above her but as she looked up into his eyes it was to see desire and want burning in their depths. He reached down to grab her arms roughly pulling her up to stand before him. He pushed her back quickly and her back hit the tree behind her again but he followed her tearing her jeans from her body again. Before she even had time to register his actions or really even take a breath she felt him lift her. His pitch black eyes met her cinnamon ones and he plunged into her causing her eyes to widen.

"God, the things you do to me witch," He hissed out through his clenched jaw. He withdrew from her tight passage before he plunged back into her. They both moaned as he bumped against her cervix and he adjusted their angle so that she was leaning against the tree more leaving space for him to slip his hand between them to rub her clit.

"Severus, god, please, harder," She whispered to him her voice a desperate gasp as he continued his pace. He growled low in his throat before he withdrew from her completely, she began to protest but he pulled her down roughly. She had barely settled on her back when he swiftly entered her again making her gasp in a deep breath and arch her back. He was thrusting into her with a renewed vigor and she ran her hands down his back marveling at the power in his body that was radiating from him.

"Cum for me Hermione, I need to feel you," He whispered into her skin as he bit her collar bone. His hand found its way down to her clit again and he applied the pressure he knew she wanted feeling her tense beneath him. He felt and heard her orgasm as she gasped his name and her walls clamped around him so tight it was almost painful. A bright light seemed to have encased them both as he thrust irregularly, seeking his own release. She dug her nails into his back as she tipped over the edge again and he threw his head back as his seed was ripped from him.

Hermione watched his face as he reached his climax and his hips flexed against her as he rode out his release and hers. He was shaking whether because of the magic he had expelled or because of the force of their coupling she didn't know. He seemed to realize where they were and what had happened because he stiffened against her. She smoothed his hair away from his face catching his gaze with hers and she leaned up to whisper, "I love you," into his ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione walked into the castle and straight into Remus who reflexively caught her in his arms. His nostrils flared again and she knew she must reek of sex and his semen. He said nothing to her as he set her back on her feet merely glanced over her shoulder as if trying to see him.

"Go take a shower." He said to her gruffly, when she looked at him in a wounded way he said in a gentler voice, "Hermione, even if I were not a werewolf you smell of man and sex, if you go into that hospital wing the way you are now people will notice even if Harry and Ron do not." She nodded at him gratefully as she headed to the showers on the third floor.

She turned before she reached the stairs, "Profe—Lupin, you won't… the others." She said trying to convey her meaning but not wanting to come out and ask.

"Hermione, I have said before that you are the brightest witch of your age, in fact of many other ages as well. I do not understand your reasons nor do I agree with them; but I accept your choice to be able to make your own decisions." She smiled at him widely before rushing off to take a shower leaving Remus in the hall behind her wishing he could get the smell out of his nose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She and Severus hadn't seen each other since that night in the forest but she knew that if something happened she would know. They were staying at the Burrow preparing for Fleur's wedding and the day had sprung on them suddenly. Planning had of course been going on for months but it seemed like only yesterday it was April and Dumbledore had just died and now it was very nearly August.

Dumbledore's funeral had been the hardest day for her so far, not because of the death of a great mentor sinking in but because Harry had seemed to lose himself. He was so full of hatred of Severus that she truly thought that he would seek the man out to kill him. Her words in the infirmary had been forgotten much to her relief.

She walked downstairs once she was dressed in her wedding attire and she felt almost odd. A wedding in the midst of a war, but perhaps that was the best reason to have one. A shinning hope in a huge world of darkness, a beam of light showing that time moved on against your most fervent wishes. She stopped at the top of the stairs as her bracelet suddenly burned hotly but as she grabbed the intricate designed piece of gold she saw the words she had so longed to see.

"I need to see you."

Five words, just five simple words made her both worry and become overly excited. She sent back asking when and the worry increased when the words "now"appeared on the metal.

"where?" 

"Outside the Burrow's enchantments. Hurry." 

She read these words as she ran down the stairs and slipped out the back door thankful for everyone being busy in the front yard. She felt the wards shiver as she passed through them and she looked around, a hand suddenly grabbed her and she was pulled into the suffocating tube of disapparation. When the ability to breathe returned to her she looked around and saw that they were standing in a forest.

She turned to see Severus standing a little apart from her and she rushed to him; he wrapped her in his arms and her heart soared as she breathed in his intoxicating scent.

"I don't have much time." He said simply and Hermione understood the words he didn't say. "There will be an attack tonight at the wedding, you have to make sure you and the boys get away. Do not get captured."

She nodded her head slowly and bit her lip. She wanted to ask the question she'd been asking herself over the last few months; the one that Remus had asked her. He obviously sensed her distress because he sighed and said, "Ask."

"How'd you know—"

"You have the look on your face you always got in class. The uncertain deliberating look as you wonder whether the question is worth asking."

"Oh. It's silly really, probably stupidly—"

"Ask." He said firmly cutting across her insecure response.

"What—what is our relationship?" She asked quietly watching his reaction through her eyelashes.

"I do not know." He answered honestly.

She nodded her head, "Was there anything else? I have to get back before I'm missed."

Severus was shocked at her change in emotion; she had become so like him in that she could stop an emotion in its tracks and become a warrior again all in the same breath. "Hermione, I care for you deeply."

"It's fine you don't have to explain, I understand." She said in a monotone voice.

He made of sound of frustration low in his voice as he ran his hand through his hair in a painfully "un-Snape" like way. "No you don't, I do not expect to live past this war I have no intention of living past this war." This was the wrong thing to say obviously because her head snapped up so fast he was afraid it'd break right off her neck.

"I see." She said. "Right, well I'll see you later." She turned on her heel and began to walk away but she got only 8 steps before her arm was grabbed in his hand.

"Hermione, this situation is complicated and I am not prepared to…to… deal with it as of yet." There was true sincerity in his voice as he said these words but Hermione didn't seem to care.

She leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. "Be safe." He opened his mouth to say something but she had already disappeared back into the wards. Severus felt his shoulders droop in his defeat and his unconsciously ran his finger over the velvet box that lay in his pocket.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	19. A Spy's Preparation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus wanted to kick himself as he walked away through the Burrow. He had never heard of witches and wizard's expelling magic during sex but he decided research was in order. He appeared in front of his childhood house and couldn't help but sneer at the memories that lay there. He immediately walked into his expansive library to look over and find his answers. He pulled several books down from his shelves and walked over to the desk in the corner. It took him nearly an hour before he found the book he was looking for and he pulled it towards him to read.

"A person(s) magic is linked to them through their emotions which is why children do magic at young ages when they get frustrated or scared. In situations of extreme feeling for adult wizards and witches this also happens although it is slightly more controlled." 

Severus stared at the book in his hands as the answer to his question weighed heavily on his chest. He stood suddenly as his wrist began to burn with the call of him master and he pulled his mask on as he strolled out the door. He sent a quick warning to his witch before he let the tightness of disapparation take him. He appeared in the same field he had been in just hours before and looked around at the terror that was there already. He tried to find the person he was keen on finding before a curse flying towards him made him focus his attention on the battle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione had been on pins and needles all day since meeting with Severus just waiting for the attack; her bracelet burned just as the bride and groom were saying "I do" and she jumped forward to grab Harry and Ron.

"Hermione what—"

"We have to leave! Now Harry." She said urgently and she ran with them trailing behind her towards the point of apparition. They didn't get far however before dark figures appeared and started throwing curses at the party guests. There were hundreds of cracks and people vanished; Harry and Ron slowed and gave indications that they were going to stop but Hermione grabbed their wrists and disappeared.

"Hermione we have to go back!" Harry and Ron roared as their feet touch solid ground.

"No we can't! Think for a minute, if you two were to go back the people there would only be in more danger. The death eaters were there looking for you Harry, they are not going to find you and the people there don't know you were there due to your disguise. We cannot go back." She explained as she quickly rushed down the street towards a café. She pulled the boys down an alleyway so that they could change out of their dress clothes and into street clothes.

"Blimey Hermione, have you got a house in your bag?" Ron asked her as she pulled clothing for each other them including underwear.

"I've been prepared for us to leave at a moment's notice for days," She explained as she turned around and quickly disillusioned herself so she could change.

"How did you know they were coming Hermione? You were telling us that we had to leave before anything even happened." Harry asked her suspiciously.

"Don't be ridiculous, I heard the first crack of apparition." She lied quickly hoping it would mollify him.

"But how could you have?" Harry pressed but Ron interrupted.

"Does it matter mate? She was standing near the entrance of the tent or course she heard." Ron said as they started back down the alleyway and onto the street. Harry nodded but she knew by his narrowed eyes that he wasn't going to let it go. They walked into the café and ordered three coffees before they started whispering again. Hermione saw a movement out of the corner of her eye and she looked around barely ducking as a hex flew her way.

"Duck!" She yelled to the boys and the two immediately began to fire curses at the two death eaters. She felt something graze her arm and she clenched her teeth as blood started pouring from the cut now there. "Petrificus Totalus!" She screamed at the death eater was thrown back against the wall unconscious. She turned to the other death eater but she was thrown back at his curse hit her, she hit the wall behind her head and lights popped up in front of her eyes.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry and Ron rushed over to her and helped her up.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." She said shaking her head slightly trying to get the underwater feeling to go away.

"How'd they find us?" Harry asked as they walked over to look down at the men. "That one is Dolohov and the other one is Yaxley."

"I don't care what they're called Harry, what are we going to do with them?"

"Kill them," Ron said in a dead tone but Harry shook his head.

"No, they'd know we were here wouldn't they. Obliviate?" Hermione said and the other two nodded their heads. She took a deep breath to focus herself and said "obliviate".

They fixed the café so that when the two awoke it wouldn't look like anything was amiss. Hermione led them onto the street before grabbing their hands and disapparating. When their feet hit solid ground they found themselves looking at Number 12 Grimauld place.

"Is it safe to be here?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"I hope so," She said as she walked forward. She just wanted to get into a safe place and take a shower before she collapsed from exhaustion. They stopped when they entered the front door and gasped as a dusty figure rose rushing towards them.

"Snape," The Albus-figure groaned out to them but Harry shouted "It wasn't us, we didn't kill you!" and the figure burst apart.

"Bloody hell," Ron said as he stumbled over to sit on the stairs. Hermione walked over to him and sat on next to him leaning against him with tears streaming down her face. She tried not to gasp when she felt her bracelet burn and she looked around when Ron jumped away from her. "What in Merlin's name was that for Hermione?" He asked rubbing his arm where she had been touching him.

"Sorry, probably just uh, residual magic," She lied quickly and was relieved when Ron accepted the explanation.

"Well damn, that hurt."

"Sorry. Let's go upstairs shall we? We need to get some sleep." Hermione suggested and then headed up the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione jerked upright from her position on the couch and grabbed her wrist hissing out a string of curses. It grew hotter as she quietly tiptoed out of the room and onto the landing.

"Lumos," She whispered and looked blearily at the message.

"Where are you?"

"Safe." 

"Meet me." 

"Where?" 

"Forest." 

"What bloody forest Severus? Honestly, men are the dimmest witted creatures ever." She grumbled as she walked down the stairs. Her head was pounding still from its contact with the wall and she was suddenly dizzy but she shook her head to clear it. She stepped out of the front door and turned on the spot picturing the forest she and Severus had been in the previous day. She looked around when her feet landed and she threw up some basic wards.

"I'm here." She sent and looked around when a patronus walked through the trees towards her. She looked at it warily as it walked up to her. It lowered its head to hear before it turned and walked away; it got a few feet away before looking back over its shoulder. Hermione took a deep breath and followed the doe as it wove into between the trees and bushes.

"Severus?" She whispered into the darkness and the doe turned to look at her in a look that clearly said, "Who the hell else would it be." She snorted in amusement at the pure Severus look on such a demure creatures face. She followed the doe for about 15 minutes before she came into the clearing her and Severus had been in yesterday. She saw him standing in the moonlight looking every bit as formidable as she remembered. He took a step towards her cautiously but she raised her wand to point it at him.

"What did you heal for me in my bedroom at school?" She asked him keeping her wand trained at his heart.

"Your cat Crookshanks." He answered in a low voice. Hermione sighed and ran into his arms feeling him pull her into his embrace. She buried her nose into his chest and breathed his herbal scent deeply. "We need to talk Hermione, this isn't a social visit."

Severus looked her over as she stepped away from him and noticed she looked a little beat up. "What happened?"

"We ran into some death eaters at a café after we left the Burrow," She explained and he cast a diagnostic charm over her.

"You have a mild concussion Hermione, what the hell were you thinking?" He snapped at her forcing her to sit down.

"That we were on the run and in danger of being killed," She snapped back matching his sneer perfectly.

Severus shook his head and mumbled under his breath about "silly Gryffindor's" as he healed up her various cuts and bruises.

"Did you call me here to insult me or was there a reason?" She asked in a petulant tone.

Hermione watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a long dark blue velvet box handing it to her. She began to open it but his hand stopped her. "This needs to stay with you, no matter where you go. In the event that I die—"

"Severus," She began but his look stopped her.

"In the event that I die I need you to take it to Kingsley, whether our side wins or not, you have to take it to Kingsley."

"What is it? Hermione asked with curiosity evident in her voice.

"It will—assure that you are taken care of." He said not looking at her.

"Can I open it now?" She asked and he jerked his head in assent. She pulled the lid up and was shocked to see that the seemingly small package was actually quite large. Inside was a roll of parchment, a key, a vial, and a potion. "What is all this?" She asked him and watched his face as he avoided her eye.

"I told you what it was." He said sharply and she let the subject drop. She shut the box and shrunk it down, then grabbed a stick laying on the ground transfiguring it into a thick necklace. He watched her as she said a few spells and a few minutes later the box was attached to the transfigured necklace that only she could take off.

Severus was surprised that she had taken his words so seriously, but then again, he had trained her well over the last few months. Once she had secured the necklace on her neck she looked at him calmly.

"Where are you staying?" He asked her but she shook her head at him.

"I can't tell you that, I'm sorry." Hermione said and expected to see his anger but instead he gave her a small smile.

"Are you safe? Protected?" Severus asked her. He didn't try to break into her mind but he was still curious.

"Yes. Why did you kill Dumbledore?" She asked boldly. She thought that he was angry when his head jerked up to meet hers.

"He asked it of me." He replied simply as though he were commenting on the trees.

"He asked you?" She shot at him as she shot to her feet. "He asked you to kill him in cold blood on the top of the Astronomy tower?"

Severus watched the girl pace furiously and almost laughed when he was reminded of himself. "Yes."

Hermione stopped at looked at him, "I don't believe you. Why would Dumbledore want you to kill him?"

Severus opened his mouth to answer her but a slicing pain up his arm made him wince. His eyes met Hermione's and she shook her head.

"You have to answer me," She said firmly. She watched as he stood up and walked over to where she had halted in her pacing.

"I cannot ignore his call Hermione, your question is not worth my life. Keep your bracelet." Severus said in a hushed tone but before he could kiss her goodbye she threw him furious look and disappeared. He stared at the stop where she had been standing for a moment before a particular painful throb shot up his arm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione appeared back on the front steps of Grimmauld Place and walked into the house hoping the boys were still asleep. After peeking into their rooms and hearing snores she tiptoed back down the stairs into the kitchen. She had just finished the eggs when a sleepy eyed and mussed haired Harry walked into the room.

"Mornin'," He said roughly as he sat down and grabbed a mug of coffee from the table.

"Morning, where's Ron?" She asked and no sooner than the words left her mouth did their friend walk into the kitchen looking just like Harry. "I figured the smell of food would wake you up."

"Whaf af vew fayeng?" Ron said through a full mouth that made Hermione cringe.

"Swallow your mouthful before you try to eat please? I don't fancy having egg hit me in the face."

"What are you saying?" Ron said after a few minutes of frantic swallowing.

"That you have an obsession—"she broke off as a silver patronus flew into the kitchen and opened its mouth.

"We are safe, do not respond." Mr. Weasley's voice echoed through the room and the three of them looked at each other with varying looks of relief and worry. A thud made them all whip their wands out and jump to their feet quickly. Another thud and a scraping noise came from one of the cupboards and Hermione raised her finger to her lips signaling the others to be quiet.

They walked towards the cupboard but before they could reach it Kreacher the house elf came stumbling out of it grumbling under his breath.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Hermione screamed at the sudden appearance of the elf but Harry's hand quickly found itself over her mouth.

"The mudblood, and the blood traitor are back; oh and my new master. What would my mistress say if she knew the filth that—"

"Kreacher you are forbidden from using the words mudblood and blood traitor in this house." Harry roared over the muttering elf. The tiny form immediately shut his mouth but the look he shot them told them he was still thinking unpleasant things.

"What are the brats doing back in this house?" He muttered to himself.

Hermione had a sudden idea and she quickly rushed out of the room telling them not to go anywhere. She ran back into the kitchen holding a locket and thrust it at Kreacher, who flinched away from her and started muttering again.

"Mudblood brat and her—"

"Kreacher, I told you not to use that word!" Harry snarled at the elf and watched as he immediately started pounding his head on the floor for disobeying orders.

"Harry, stop him! This is disgusting, stop him." Hermione said with a teary look.

"Kreacher, I order you to stop punishing yourself right now." Harry said in an almost bored voice. The elf immediately stopped but kept his head bowed.

"Hermione, why'd you try to give him the locket?" Ron asked her as he noticed the piece of jewelry for the first time.

"I thought perhaps he would recognize it, we found one similar to it when we were here 5th year don't you remember? None of us could get it open so we threw it away." Hermione said and realization dawned on Harry's face.

He picked up the locket and showed it to Kreacher, "Do you recognize this?"

The elf started mumbling under his breath furiously, "the brat has master's locket. I failed him, I failed my master. Told me to destroy it but I didn't, oh master would be so mad."

"Who was your master Kreacher? Was it Sirius?" Harry asked urgently.

"No, not that horrible boy; left and broke my mistresses heart he did rotten brat." The elf muttered angrily.

"Who was your master Kreacher? I order you to answer my questions with all honesty." Harry commanded and the elf bowed under the force of his orders.

"Mast-Master Regulus, he went away and left the locket with Kreacher, ordered me to destroy it he did but Kreacher failed!" Kreacher stammered and jumped for a frying pan but Harry stopped him before he could punish himself.

"The locket belonged to Sirius' brother? Why did he want you to destroy it?" Hermione asked the elf.

"The dark man, the bad dark wizard put something in the locket. Master took the locket from the place and told Kreacher to destroy it but I couldn't. Black horrible magic was placed on the locket, made Kreacher have horrible thought."

"Where is the locket now Kreacher?" Harry asked with a heavy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

"He took it! He cleaned out the house as soon as the brat was dead and everyone left. He took my masters locket no matter how much Kreacher pleaded and begged him not to. He took it and now Kreacher has failed his master."

"Who took the locket!" Harry yelled over the house elf's tortured voice.

"Mundungus Fletcher!" Kreacher cried out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	20. A Spy's Break

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus was going to strangle her, no kill her outright with his bare hands. He stormed out of his office at Hogwarts slamming the door with all his force behind him. He pointed his wand at his bracelet and sent her a message but didn't wait for a response before he disappeared going back to the forest they had met up in before.

He paced furiously back and forth waiting for her to arrive; thinking about all the things he was going to do to her. Strangling her seemed to be high on the list right next to tying her up and fucking her senseless. A pop of apparition pulled him out of his thoughts and he jerked his head up to see Hermione walking towards her looking extremely tired and covered in blood.

Hermione looked at Severus as he stalked towards her and had to resist the urge to grab her wand; he looked murderous and after the day she'd had she was on edge. He grabbed her shoulders and shoved her against the nearest tree.

"What in the bloody fuck is wrong with you?" He snarled at her and she winced at the venom in his voice.

"I don't know what you—"

"Sneaking into the Ministry of Magic? I am starting to rethink my assessment of you being the brightest witch of your age!" He shoved her against the tree roughly again before releasing her and continuing to pace.

"We had to go to get something!" Hermione said to him.

"What was so important that you had to go to the one place that the Dark Lord has full control over?" He snapped at her but didn't pause in his pacing.

"Uh—I can't tell you," she said and he froze in his tracks.

"What?"

"I can't tell you!" Hermione repeated again.

Severus felt his anger break loose at her words; she still didn't trust him. "Keep yourself out of trouble would you? I'm not risking my ass to rescue you anymore." With those words he turned on the spot and disapparated back to Hogwarts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione stared at the place where he had been before she shook her head and apparated back to the tent. Harry and Ron were still sleeping when she got into the tent so she sat down in the opening to do her watch absently playing with the bracelet on her wrist. She had known going to the Ministry was dangerous but they had to get the locket. They had, they had gotten the locket and had almost gotten away until the pollyjuice potion started wearing off. Yaxley had caught hold of her arm as they disapparated causing him to be brought inside the protective enchantments around Grimmauld Place. She bent her head against her chest thinking about the fear that had gripped her when she realized that he had hold of her. The repulsion jinx had managed to get him off of her but the cause of disapparating so soon resulted on Ron getting splinched. The sight of his mangled arm once she had regained her bearings made her want to vomit again. Movement behind her made her jerk her head around to see Harry getting out of bed and walking towards her.

"How is he?" Hermione asked in a whisper as Harry sat next to her.

"He slept fitfully for most the night, I think that he finally got so exhausted that he just passed out." His voice was thick with sleep and the deep boned tiredness that Hermione felt.

"We need to keep moving," Hermione said quietly. "He can't apparate yet though so we'll have to go on foot."

Ron slept until the next morning without waking but when he finally woke he was hungry and cranky. Hermione had to bite the inside of her cheek multiple times to keep from snapping at him that they were all tired and hungry. She went to a nearby town and searched for some food ending up with a large chicken, potatoes, carrots, fruit, and some froze cream. She shrunk all of the things down so that they fit in her pocket and prepared to apparate when movement caught her eye. She saw black robed figures walking towards the town and felt her blood run cold. She thought about just leaving but the sound of her disapparating would alert the Death Eaters to magic allowing them to follow her magical signature.

She ducked into an alley and listened with her eyes closed as screams of panic and pain sliced through the air. She bit her lip to keep from gasping as one of the figures walked past where she was hidden. The figure halted and turned back to look down the alley but Hermione had cast a disillusionment charm over her silently. She breathed out a slow sigh of relief as the person continued walking and she slid down the wall to wait until it was safe. The sun was high in the sky before the screams finally stopped but she stayed where she was until she heard the 'pop' of multiple people disapparating before she peeked out from the alley.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked around the town; the streets were littered with bodies of men, women, and children with large puddles of blood in places. A whimpering noise made her spin around and she saw a woman and a child lying side by side.

"Momma! Momma wake up! We gots to go homes." The little boy cried to his momma who was covered in blood and obviously dead. Hermione brushed her tears away and rushed over to the little boy. She quickly canceled the spell and the little boy looked at her with big tear filled eyes. "Why won't she wake?"

Hermione could only shake her head in response, not trusting her voice to answer him. She heard another 'pop' and she quickly grabbed the little boy picking him up and swinging him onto her hip. The little boy started to panic at being handled by a stranger but she quickly held her finger up to her lips. She had started back towards her alley when a black robe whipped into view, Hermione cast a silent spell changing her appearance instantly but before she had a chance to do the little boy a curse was rushing towards her.

She flicked her wand blocking the spell and felt the boy start to tremble against her. "Shhh, honey I'm not—not going to hurt you but you have to hold still okay?" The little boy nodded but she had to turn her attention back to the death eater who was now firing curse after curse at her. She barely had time to block one before another hit her shield and she was unable to fire offensive curses back at the figure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus had led an attack on a muggle town with many fellow death eaters; he hung back as the others had their 'fun' quietly killing the muggles before they were subjected to torture. He walked by an alley where a movement caught his eye but when he looked back down the alley he saw no one. He had left with the others in the hope that they would think he was going back to Hogwarts. However, he went back to the town to make sure that none of the victims were still alive and slowly dying. He saw a woman standing with a little boy in the middle of the street and he fired a stunning spell at her and was shocked to the bone to see the woman block it with a wand.

The woman was probably no older than 20 and the little boy probably around 2 or 3. He saw the little boy struggle against the woman when she blocked his spell but with a quick word he settled against her hip again. He took her momentary distraction to fire more spells at her but each of them was blocked and he had to appreciate the skill of the woman.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when the figure stopped firing at her but she quickly fired back at him. Each other her hexes were batted away in an almost bored way though and she felt herself growing tired both from using magic, lack of sleep, and holding the boy on her hip. She started firing more serious curses at the figure hoping one got through.

"Sectumsempra!" She yelled out loud and the man, judging by his voice, growled in anger as he blocked it.

Severus was angry now, there were only a few people that knew of that spell besides him and whoever this person was had the audacity to use his own spell against him. A flash of gold caught his eye and he felt like he'd been kicked in the gut when he recognized the bracelet shinning on the wrist of the woman. She was unrecognizable though, her hair was long and straight without a single hint of a curl. She was taller and more tan which made him want to smirk at her quick work. Unfortunately this lapse of concentration allowed one of her spells to get through and he felt blood seep through his robes as he fell to the ground clutching his stomach.

Hermione rushed forward when the man fell to the ground and she put the boy down before pressing her foot against his throat pointing her wand at his face.

"Who are you?" She said through clenched teeth.

Severus reached up to pull his mask off his face and he smirked at the startled look that crossed her face before she removed her foot. He waved his wand and healed himself as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Hermione," He started but she pointed her wand at him again.

"Were you involved with this? Did you kill these men, children, and women? Did you get joy from killing mere muggles who were powerless against you?" He winced at the heat in her words but put his hand around her wand pushing it away from his face.

"Do not point your wand at me Miss Granger; Death Eaters don't take kindly to having a wand shoved into their faces." Hermione felt as though she had been slapped by the use of her proper name and she stepped away from her lover in shock.

"Perhaps when the Death Eaters deserve to die, sir—" She began but was halted when he jumped to his feet and placed his hand around her throat.

"Do not forget the precarious situation you are in," Severus snarled at her completely forgetting whom he was speaking to. He felt rage course through his veins at her words but her widening eyes caused him to let go. "I apologiz—".

"Oh you apologize? Save it Snape." She spat and he felt his heart crack under the hatred in her voice. He watched as she bent to pick up the little boy again almost forgetting that he was even there.

"Give him to me," He said calmly but her manic laughter cut his sentence off.

"Oh that's rich, murdered his whole family and you want me to hand him over?"

"I will take him to safe—"

"Bullshit." She snapped at him and she pulled the little boy closer to her, she paused in her actions to pull off her bracelet and threw it at his chest before she disappeared.

Severus looked down at the bracelet in his hand and then squeezed his hand around it in anger. He knew better than to trust her, he knew better than to give his heart to anyone and now, now he knew it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	21. A Spy's Return

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 1st, 1998

Hermione looked up at the castle that had been her home for the last six years, seeing not the repaired castle rather the wreckage she had last seen it in. Harry had succeeded in killing Voldemort after they had destroyed all his Horcruxes. She thought over the last few months since she'd left the smoking ruins of the castle as she walked up the steps into the entrance hall. She had decided to return for her 7th year after many weeks of deliberation. Her mind was miles away in the past when she bummed into someone and fell with a sharp 'oompf' onto the floor.

She looked up to see who she had run into and felt her mouth go dry. She hadn't seen him since he lay dying in the boat house after Voldemort's snake had chomped on his neck.

"Miss Granger, delicate as ever." Severus Snape's voice sneered at her again.

"Severus—," She began but his sharp retort cut her off.

"Do not use my name Miss Granger, you are my student. 15 points from Gryffindor."

Hermione sighed and shook her head as she climbed to her feet, she knew that she had hurt him but she had tried to apologize afterwards. "I'm sorry professor." She said emphasizing the first two words.

"Indeed." The tick in his jaw told her that he knew she wasn't apologizing for bumping into him or using his first name. "I'm surprised you came back without your witless wonder friends."

Hermione shot out her retort before she could stop herself, "I'm surprised you came back to teach, I'd have thought you'd be in Azkaban for having that wonderful tattoo." Her eyes widened as he turned his furious eyes onto hers.

"Ah Severus, and Miss Granger, how wonderful to see you dear," Hermione turned and saw Remus Lupin walking towards the pair. He had been injured in the last battle but with luck he had made a full recovery. She hurried to embrace him tightly feeling relieved at the familiar face that would be there that year. "How are you?"

"I'm…okay. As good as can be expected." She replied not remembering that Severus was still standing there.

"Your injuries?" Remus inquired and she saw Severus' head dart over to her out of the corner of her eye and she resisted the urge to run away.

"Fine," She said through clenched teeth hoping that he let the subject drop; apparently that was a useless hope.

"Don't take it too hard Hermione, all wounds heal with time. I must run, Minerva—er Headmistress McGonagall wants to see me." With a small wave and a smile he left Severus and Hermione standing in the now empty corridor.

"You were injured?" She heard Severus ask and she turned around catching sight of the concern in his eyes before it disappeared.

"It was a war Sev—Professor, of course I was injured." She said with a resigned air.

"They were not healed?" He asked ignoring her slip of tongue.

"Madame Pomfrey was unsuccessful in her efforts to heal them," She replied looking away from his hot gaze at last. In truth she had never gone to the school nurse or any other nurses, she hoped they'd heal on their own but they had not yet. Her lie must have shown on her face because he grabbed her arm roughly before pulling her down the hall towards an empty classroom.

"What in the hell are you doing?" She snapped at him as he shut the door behind them with a snap.

"Strip."

Hermione stared at him blankly but with a wave of his wand she found herself naked. "Severus Snape what the fuck do you think you're doing? I am your student you—you—what are you doing?" She paused her rant at the look on his face as he grabbed her shoulder gently to turn her around so he could survey her body. She heard a strangled noise behind her and she quickly summoned a piece of parchment that was lying on a desk and transfigured it into a robe. "If you're quite done humiliating me now, I'll just be going." She didn't wait for him to respond before she ran out of the room waiting until she was up the stairs to burst into tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus had been walking through the hall on the way out of the castle when a small figure walked into him. The figure gave a noise of pain as it sprawled on the floor and he looked down to find himself staring into the eyes of Hermione Granger. The incident from the village came flying back to him as she pushed herself up from the ground and he scowled at the memory. She had the audacity to use his first name and he felt his anger peak again. He had wanted to rip Lupin apart as the werewolf embraced the woman but he could only stand by in anger. His attention was caught when the man made mention of her injuries and he felt himself grow curious at her uncharacteristically cold answer. He immediately wanted to know what injuries she had and dragged her into the empty classroom in hopes of finding out.

Find out he did. She was covered in wounds that looked to be various stages of healing, some looked they had happened only yesterday and others looked like they'd happened years ago. He saw words carved into her alabaster skin and he opened his mouth to ask who did it but it came out as a strangled groan. He looked at her in shock as she whirled on him accusing him of humiliating her before she ran past him out of the door. He felt his heart break anew when he heard her burst into tears on the stairs but when he walked into the corridor it was to find it empty. He shook his head as he walked up to the headmistresses office and hoped that this year went smoothly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At 7 that night Hermione left her common room and walked down to the Great Hall for the welcoming feast. She had requested the ability to arrive early from Minerva rather than riding on the train because she didn't think she could handle the loudness that the Hogwarts Express always seemed to be in on the journey to the school. A screech pulled Hermione out of her reverie and she had barely looked around to locate the noise when she found her vision obstructed by a mass of red hair.

"Hey Ginny," Hermione said holding the girl tightly, Ginny had become something of a sister to Hermione but due to the search for her parents she hadn't seen her since the day of the last battle.

"Blimey Hermione, you just disappeared!" Ginny said stepping away from her; Hermione noticed the ring on her hand and smiled at the girl warmly.

"He finally asked huh?" She led the way over to the Gryffindor table and sat down as she listened to the younger girl tell about her summer. She let her eyes wander away from her and found herself looking straight into the black eyes of her ex-lover. The horrible weight that had been in her stomach since the day in the village clenched tightly as they stared at each other; she was surprised he held her gaze. It was almost like they were challenging each other across the hall; neither of them looked away from the other. Hermione let a thought float through her barriers when she felt his probing of her mind.

"I want to talk." 

His eyes widened slightly but other than that he gave no indication that he had heard or accepted her message. She was about to give up and look away when his head, finally and ever so slightly, dipped to the side in acceptance. She couldn't stop the bright smile that jerked its way across her face and his mouth looked less severe.

"Hermione? Are you listening to me?" Ginny asked waving her hand in front of her face.

"Yes, so what do your parents think of the engagement? When's the wedding?"

"They're thrilled but Harry doesn't want to get married right away, he wants to wait until the world calms down and he's no longer being hunted for interviews and such. Did you hear—"

Hermione zoned out again but answered her friends question about the trial of Severus' that Harry had attended. It had been after her memories, Harry's memories, and Albus Dumbledore's memories that the man was finally set free but Harry was still trailed daily by reporters wanting his opinion on the proceedings. Harry and Severus had seemed to come to some sort of agreement because Harry was able to communicate with Severus without hate and vice versa. They'd never be the best of friends but there was a quiet respect that Harry had for Severus. Her gaze fell again on the head table and she smiled warmly as she raised a hand in welcome to Remus and Hagrid, both of whom had just entered the hall through the teacher's entrance behind the head table. Remus returned her greeting in kind while Hagrid merely yelled across the hall.

"Alrigh' Hermione?" He boomed, his voice causing the students in the hall to stop and look around.

"Yeah, glad to have you back." She replied and turned back to Ginny who was just finishing up her tale.

"So then he just wrapped his arms around me and said, "We're going to get married" just like that. Not a question or request but like he knew I was going to say yes."

"Which of course you did," Hermione replied with amusement in her voice, the younger girl had been waiting many years to be with Harry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus sat at the table and looked down at the red head and brunette sitting at the Gryffindor table chatting energetically. He had rolled his eyes at the enthusiastic greeting the two shared but it didn't annoy him as it would previously. He watched as the light from the candles played across Hermione's hair; her eyes were bright with happiness but there was also an underlying sadness, a pain if you will, that was in her eyes. You wouldn't see it by just looking at her, she held herself in a way that would fool even the most observant person but not him. No, he knew her too well to know that she was carefree and unconcerned. Her smiles weren't forced nor were her laughter but there was a changed air about her. He realized after watching her that she had grown from insufferable know-it-all to confident jaded woman. She wasn't so jaded as him, it had taken a lifetime of pain and rejection to get him into the state of mind he was in, but she was different nonetheless. She held herself with a secure air that showed she was completely confident in her powers, ability, and sought to prove herself to no one. He smirked at the thought that she no longer sought the approval of others after 6 years of trying incessantly to earn his approval. She already had it of course; she'd earned it when she helped him in entrance hall all those months ago. She earned if as she stuck around after he was snarky and horrible, snapped back at him when most people would've turned around and left. No, she definitely had his respect and, though he never would admit it, she still had the piece of him he had given her. The bracelet in his pocket felt heavier somehow as he watched her leave the great hall after the feast. He hadn't taken his off at all because deep down he knew that Hermione Granger was his, and he was going to prove it before the year was over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	22. A Spy's Deceit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione's dreams that night were plagued with images of the war just as they had been since the event had happened. She always woke up in a sweat and screaming unable to go back to sleep; she hadn't gotten more than 4 hours of sleep a night since before saving the little boy in the village that day. She could still recall his face as she took him to a nearby town and dropping him off at a church, then tapping his head and erasing the memories of his life. She was 17 and in the middle of the war, as much as she had wanted to keep him she knew that he would have no quality of life with her. Every month she stopped by the orphanage to drop a considerable amount of money off for him, never leaving her name or identity just explaining whom it was for and what.

She had just woken up screaming and was lying in bed staring at the ceiling when her mind went back to the confrontation with Severus earlier that day. She felt angry tears well in her eyes at the noise he had made and the look in his eyes before she had run away. Getting out of bed and grabbing a robe from her trunk at the end of the bed she quietly walked out of the dormitory and down the stairs. She paused on the stairs to looking into the common room to make sure it was empty before continuing through the room and into the corridor. Her feet carried her towards her destination without any real thought to the journey but she found herself in front of the door nonetheless. Opening the door and stepping into the prefects' bathroom she breathed a sigh of relief as she walked towards the bath.

Turning on all of the taps and adding some bubbles and scented gel to the water she began to strip. She didn't glance in the mirror hanging on the wall because she knew what she would see if she did. Her body was still marred with scars and wounds that hadn't yet healed due to her unwillingness to let anyone see her. The words that Bellatrix had carved into her arm and back were still brand new looking though they had scabbed over. Words like mudblood, slut, whore, and other degrading words marred her normally clear skin. She had cuts on her thighs, stomach, butt, and back for the various curses she'd been hit with. A scar on her sternum from the curse that Dolohov had hit her with in the Department of Mysteries would never fade according to Madame Pomfrey. The sound of the door opening pulled her out of her thoughts abruptly and she looked up meeting the black eyes of her former lover in the mirror.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked in a strangled voice moving to cover herself.

"Why were you not healed?" Severus asked her walking towards her

"I didn't want to be." She answered as though she were commenting on the weather.

"That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, even for a Gyrffind—" He broke off when Hermione whirled around and stomped towards her, forgetting that she was as naked as she was on the day of her birth.

"Don't you dare insult my house; my character is not directly linked to my house." She snarled coming to stop barely a foot in front of him.

"It is because of your character that you are in the house you are in," He commented at her coldly. He let out a noise of surprise when she shoved him bodily backwards. He lost his footing tripping over her bathrobe that was still lying on the ground and falling into the large pool-sized tub.

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand as she watched him climb out of the tub fully clothed and dripping wet. She backed away from him feeling a thrill of fear race up her spine at the look on his face.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Hermione said but screamed when he picked her up over his shoulder and carried her over to the tub.

"Can you swim?"

"Can I swim, of course I can SWIM!" Hermione screamed as he threw her into the water, she plunged under the water coming up gasping. She looked up to see that he had shed his wet clothing and dove at her in the water causing her to scream again.

Severus came up for air and looked at Hermione who was looking at him with an expression close to fear on her face. He swam towards her and grabbed her wrist dragging her against his body; the water and their naked skin meeting did interesting things to his body and hers. He looked at her face and saw that her eyes were alight with the same passion and desire they had held months before when he took her in the hallway. He glanced down at her lips which were parted slightly with her breathing and had to resist the urge to kiss her. Apparently his body couldn't do the same thing because he felt blood rushing towards his penis making it swell against her stomach.

"Why didn't you want to get healed?" He asked against and she looked away from him.

"I didn't want anyone to see my body," Hermione responded and she felt him nod in understanding. She and he were not so very different in that regard.

"Who did this to you?" He asked coaxingly hoping to get her to talk about it.

"Bellatrix." She spat out with as much venom in her voice as she could muster. His hands tightened on her arms painfully and she looked up at his face to see that a furious rage had come over his features. "I'm sorry." She said quietly as she tried to pull away from him.

Severus looked down at her in shock at hearing her apologize and he realized that his emotions must have shown on his face. "You have absolutely nothing to apologize for, Hermione, nothing at all. I am not angry at you but rather the person that did this to you. It is a good thing she is dead otherwise I might have to remind her why I was such a high ranked Death Eater."

They stared at each other for what felt like hours but it must have been only a few minutes before Severus broke the silence. "Turn around."

Hermione looked at him in confusion but he led her over to the side of the tub and turned her so her stomach was pressed against the steps that were built there. She opened her mouth to ask him what he was doing but at the feeling of him pressing his lips to her skin her question died in her throat. His lips and tongue trailed along her skin where she knew her marks were and she felt magic shimmer across her skin. Her eyes closed as her head fell forward lost in the feeling of his lips on her bare skin. They stayed like that under her ribs began to hurt and she shifted to find a comfortable position. He seemed to know her intention because he allowed her to turn before he pressed her to sit on the top most steps.

Severus brought his lips back to her skin just above her chest and ran his tongue over the mark that ran from her collar to just under her right breast. She gasped when she realized that he was healing her wounds with nothing but his mouth.

"You have to teach me how to do that." She said with her voice breaking slightly as his large nose skimmed the sensitive skin of her breast. He hadn't touched her intimately yet but him healing her seemed more intimate than anything they had done thus far. She watched in fascination as he healed all of the marks and wounds on her chest and stomach, not once showing disgust or revulsion at the marred skin. She squeaked slightly when his hands grabbed her waist and he lifted her onto the side of the pool so that her legs were even with his head.

Before she could react or think about what he was doing he lowered his lips to her inner thigh where Bellatrix had cut 'whore' into the flesh there. She watched through heavily lidded eyes as the scab and wound disappeared completely leaving only a slight color difference; after a few months you wouldn't even be able to see the words or know she had an injury there unless you looked for it. His head moved to her other thigh to repeat the process and Hermione laid back against the concrete floor closing her eyes to just enjoy the whisper of magic across her skin. She jerked up however when she felt him move his lips to a place that she knew she had no injuries to.

Severus looked up to see that his witch had lay back completely and felt himself smirk. He lowered his gaze to her pink lips and could see her clit peeking out of its hood in the most tantalizing way. He glanced up again to see if she had noticed and was relieved to see that she hadn't. He slowly lowered his mouth to her sex then plunged his tongue in between her folds listening to her noise of surprise. He felt her hands on his hand trying to push her away but his only reaction was to gently bit down on her clit. Her hand immediately stilled on his head as a shudder of pleasure ran through her body, her hands moved instead to his hair twisting through the black tresses.

"Ahhh Severus," She moaned as he reapplied his lips to her body. He slipped his tongue down her folds and inserted it gently into her opening tasting the slight bitter proof that she was enjoying it. He brought his hands up to air him and he spread her folds so that he could see her fully. It was a beautiful sight, she was naturally tanned down there and his pale hands contrasted with the skin in a way that made his growing erection give a painful throb. He put his mouth back on her and set to work bringing her to an orgasm with just his tongue.

Hermione felt a fire building in the pit of her stomach and she dug her nails into the concrete in an attempt to hang on to something, anything. She began to shake as he added a single finger into her tightening passage and she arched her back when he crooked his finger inside reaching a mysterious spot she didn't know she had. Her vision blurred as the fire in her stomach grew and just as his lips closed over her sensitive clit again she felt herself shatter around him. Her hips bucked against his mouth but he didn't pull away, he simply moved with her continuing his slow torturous licking of her slick folds. She felt herself coming down from her high but as he quickly added another finger to her canal she felt herself heat up again. He took her clit into his mouth and sucked gently letting his teeth brush over the swollen nub once, twice, three times before she felt herself clench around him against as she followed her second climax over the edge. Her scream of his name echoed around the bathroom and she felt him smirk against her sex.

Severus looked up at Hermione to see that she was watching him with clear want in her eyes. He growled as his erection throbbed in response to her look and he kissed her sex before he pulled her from the side of the pool gently. He lowered her into the water and onto his hardness; they both moaned together at the feeling of him separating her walls. He buried himself to the hilt in her hot slick body and stilled for a moment to collect himself; he forgot how tight she was and he didn't want to cum too soon. He pushed her roughly against the wall behind her as he withdrew only to thrust back into her again. Her head tipped back in pleasure and he leaned forward to suckle on the pale column of her exposed throat. He held her hips against the wall as he thrust into her repeatedly in an almost punishing way, they were sloshing water out of the tub but neither of them seemed to notice.

Hermione looked down into the black eyes that were filled with unmasked passion and desire, his hold on her hips along with the angle of his thrust made sure he hit her clit in a deliciously sinful way. He hit her cervix on his next thrust in and she climaxed again.

"Severus, ah yes, oh merlin," Her voice was a husky moan and Severus responded with a growl of his own. Her walls were clenching around him in a way that made his head spin, he felt his own release speeding up and down his spine but he wanted to hear her scream again, needed to hear her scream his name again. He released his hold on her hips as one hand trailed to the apex of her thighs; he adjusted his angle so that he was hitting her cervix on every thrust as he applied pressure to her clit again. Her clenching walls made him hiss out a breath between his clenched teeth.

"Cum with me witch, now, let me feel your release. Hermione, ah god," He groaned and threw his head back as her voice joined his and her walls clamped around him making it almost painful for him to thrust into her repeatedly. He thrust against her again feeling the tip over his penis breach her cervix and he exploded sending his seed deep into her body in hot spurts. His climax seemed to go on for hours and hours as her body milked every last drop from him. He came down slowly feeling as though his head were about to explode and he heard her labored breath. He looked into her eyes and almost gasped at the love that was shining through the honeyed depths. He pulled himself from her body feeling instantly cold in the water that had lost some of its warmth. She turned and pulled herself out of the bath and he was surprised that his manhood gave a twitch of desire at the sight of her bent over then as she walked over to grab a towel.

Hermione wrapped the towel around herself then turned around to see Severus climbing from the bath water and walking over to her for a towel. She watched him through her eyelashes as he dried himself then waved his hand causing himself to be instantly redressed in his dried clothing. She looked up at him as he slipped his wand that had fallen back into his sleeve then whispered, "Now what?"

Severus looked at her for a moment searching her face and her eyes trying to come up with an answer for her question. Yes, now what? He loved her, Merlin yes he loved her, but his foolish head reminded him of her words. "Now nothing, I wanted to heal you so that you no longer felt that you needed to avoid medical attention."

His words stung but she kept her face completely blank, "That's it? That's all this was? Nothing more?"

"Nothing more. You are my student Miss Granger; do not forget your place." He said coldly, he didn't like the way her face stayed perfectly blank as she stared at him.

"Understood sir, good night." She said in a deadened tone, she waved her wand over herself clothing and dying herself with a quick spell. Without another word she turned and left the bathroom, not bursting into tears until she had reached her bed and threw up a hasty silencing spell. Then the pain in her heart spilled over in tears that burned themselves down her cheeks, she cried for her heart, for her friends that had died, but she also cried for the man many floors below climbing into his own bed. She had seen in his eyes as he emptied his sperm into her body, she had seen the love he felt for her, and apparently he needed to be shown that he did indeed love her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	23. Fooling a Spy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning dawned bright and sunny which clashed with Hermione's sour mood horribly. She had Potions after breakfast and she couldn't very well just skip the class or be weepy or whiny, no, she'd have to pull herself together and prove that she wasn't a woman to be trifled with. She dressed quickly then pulled her hair back into a ponytail but stopped before she could secure it. Instead she took some of her Sleekeazy's curl definer and applied it to her hair. She looked in the mirror and watched as her curls pulled together then separated into ringlets that fell down her back. Smiling at her reflection in the mirror she grabbed her bag as she left the girl common room to meet up with Ron and Harry before heading to breakfast.

"Hey Hermione," Harry called out and a sleepy eyed Ron followed behind him.

"You boys look like you didn't sleep at all last night, what were you doing?" Hermione asked taking in their dark-circled eyes.

"Essay for Defense, it's due today." Ron grumbled as they walked through the portrait hole and down the corridor.

"Yes it is which is why I told you to do it ages ago; it's your own fault really." She scolded as they entered the Great Hall. The boys had the good sense to look ashamed as they sat down beside her, she always seemed to sit in the middle just as she had since they'd become friends.

"You and mum could give each other lessons the way you get onto us 'Mione, it's almost scary the way you two are alike." Ron said as he bit into a sausage and started eating.

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes looking around the hall at the students. She saw Ginny walk into the hall and take a seat on the other side of Harry kissing him on the cheek as she did so.

"Ugh, can you guys not do that? I'm trying to eat over here," Ron complained through a mouthful of eggs.

"Oh honestly Ronald, it was just a kiss on the cheek," Ginny said waspishly as she piled her plate with bacon.

"Why do you get all the girl's mate? What's so special about you eh?" Ron grumbled again.

"Must be my devilish good looks mate, just makes the girls fawn all over me." Harry said glancing around Hermione to look at Ron.

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other grinning and as Harry leaned back they both leaned into them at the same time.

"Oh Harry, you are so handsome, please date me," Hermione said batting her eyelashes up at Harry.

"No Harry, date me, I can handle a broomstick," Ginny said leaning placing her head against his chest and looking up at him innocently.

Hermione giggled as she grabbed the front of Harry's shirt and yanked him towards her, "No Harry choose me please, I can handle your wand better than her."

The entire Gryffindor table was now laughing at the two girls and Harry who had turned a brilliant shade of red at his girlfriend and best friend's actions. "Now, now girls there is enough of me to go around." Harry called to more laughter from the table.

"Oi, send some love our way mate, no need to be greedy," Seamus Finnegan called down the table winking at Hermione.

"Oh shut it," Ron said loudly but he had a grin on his face at his classmates joke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus was watching the group of Gryffindor's sitting at the table with barely suppressed rage as he watched Hermione throwing herself at Potter. His hand clenched tightly around his goblet as he saw the Finnegan boy wink at her and she returned his playful look with ease. Someone was calling his name in a gently urgent voice and he looked around to see Minerva McGonagall looking down the table at him.

"Honestly Severus, one would think you wanted to kill the Gryffindor table the way you're glaring at the lot of them. What's the matter? Your breakfast not to your liking or has Gryffindor one something else to earn your ire?" She teased gently but there was a concerned look in her eye.

Severus smirked at her comment but shook his head; what was he to do? Tell the woman that he had been bedding her favorite Gryffindor girl since early the previous year? Merlin, he didn't think he was in good enough shape to outrun the Scottish woman if he let that slip. "No Minerva just had a horrible night sleep." It wasn't a lie, once he had returned to his rooms he had found himself lying in bed for several hours pondering the look that had found itself on Hermione's face. It was so blank and unlike her that he knew there must be something wrong.

His thoughts turned were interrupted as the Gryffindor table once again dissolved into a fit of laughter except this time the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables joined in as well. Many of the females at the Gryffindor table were standing to fawn over the boy-who-lived as he tried to escape and the look on his face one was of mock horror. He rolled his eyes as he stood abruptly and strolled down the aisle towards the boy wonder.

"Mr. Potter, despite your female fan club you are still required to attend my potions class so please leave your harem in the Great Hall." He sneered in his best voice.

"Yes sir." Potter replied but he glanced over his shoulder at something or someone standing behind him.

He slowly turned around to see Hermione standing behind him waiting to pass him, once he was turned around however she looked up at him with the same expressionless face she had worn the night before.

"Miss Granger," He said quietly as he moved to the side to let her pass. He clenched his jaw when she brushed by him without a word but continued to walk out of the hall with Potter and the two Weasley's.

His morning had just started and already it seemed like it would only get worse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione walked with Harry and Ron to their potions class trying to get her heart to slow; she hadn't been expecting to see him in such a close proximity until class but when she stood up to find him standing there she had frozen. His smooth voice had made goose bumps jump over her skin, she had fought to appear calm when she brushed by him but his smell had wafted into her senses like a drug making her want to do nothing else but bury herself in his chest and breathe deeply. She sat at the table she shared with Ron and Harry telling herself to calm down over and over but when he entered the room with his usual slamming door her heartbeat redoubled again. She tried to focus on something besides her professor as he paced back and forth in front of the class giving his usual lecture before their assignments but her mind went to the night before. The image of him thrusting into her and the look on his face as he sought his release sent a gush of moisture to the throbbing apex of her thighs.

"Hermione!" Harry hissed urgently into her ear.

"What?" She answered back hoping that her face wasn't terribly red.

"You have to go get your ingredients," Harry said gesturing to the classroom; she looked around to see that her classmates had already gathered their own ingredients and were starting to brew.

"Oh right, thanks." She said quietly as she got shakily to her feet, she kept her head down slightly as she walked towards the storeroom. She stepped into the room to gather her ingredients but looked around when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She didn't see anyone behind her so she shrugged her shoulders and retreated out of the storeroom when her foot caught something causing her to trip forward. The vials of ingredients spilled from her hands breaking against the hard cement floor and a stinging in her knees told her that she hadn't gotten away unscathed.

"Miss Granger, I believe a zero for today and a detention for your clumsiness." Said her professor from somewhere over head and she pushed herself up from the floor biting her lip roughly as she felt glass embed into her palm.

"Sir, I tripped over something," She tried to explain blinking tears of pain out of her eyes as she closed her fist around the glass. Her hand felt like it was on fire but she didn't want to get even more points taken away for bleeding on his floor.

"I care little about the reason for your fall, return to your seat and sit there quietly before I take more points."

Hermione kept her head down and her hands closed as she walked over to her seat, she was angry at him for being so unfair but the pain in her palm kept her from commenting to him. She opened her hand slightly to look at the damage which seemed to be a bad idea as droplets of blood escaped onto her skirt and shirt. Her hand felt like it had been plunged into fire but she closed it keeping the blood trapped inside as she bit her lip hard enough to bite through it.

Severus was sitting at his desk staring around at the class and forcing himself not to look at the girl but he lost the battle finally and he was curious to see her sitting in her chair rigidly staring at the floor. It was unlike her not to argue with him about the unfairness of his actions but he shrugged it off deciding that it wasn't his problem.

"Bottle your results and clean up," Hermione heard her professor say from the front of the class and she felt relieved that class was over. Her hand had started throbbing with unbearable pain so she had to fight tears as well as from crying out. She kept her breath even and normal as she stood to her feet to grab her hand with her left hand. A burning in her knee signaled that glass had managed to embed itself there as well and she decided to see Madame Pomfrey.

"Come on Mione, let's get something to eat." Harry said and he grabbed her right hand to drag her along but Hermione's noise of pain stopped him. "What? What's wrong?" He looked over her body then his eyes came to rest on her closed hand which had blood seeping out past the fingers. "Professor!"

"Harry hush! I'll go to Madame Pomfrey."

"Is there a reason you two are still in my classroom?" Snape's voice said from behind them.

"Hermione's injured." Harry said as he thrust her hand towards their teacher.

Hermione kept her head down and her hand closed as Severus' took her hand in his own. "Very well Mr. Potter, I'll deal with this." Harry hesitated for a moment until the man glared at him then he squeezed her shoulder and left.

Severus watched the girl as she threw her friends retreating back a glare and had to fight off a smirk of amusement. She turned back around but kept her head down staring at her hand that was bleeding in his. "My, my, your clumsiness knows no bound does it Miss Granger."

"Go to hell," Hermione muttered under her breath as he pried her hand opened but he let out a stream of curse words.

"Why didn't you tell me you were injured when it happened?" He asked silently cursing her stubbornness.

He heard her say something that sounded like "Madame Pomfrey" which only made him angrier. "So you decided to foolishly sit through my lesson while you were bleeding and risk infection rather than allow me to heal your injury?"

Hermione felt her anger snap at his last words, "Well sir, considering the situation surrounding the last injuries you healed you'll have to forgive me for not jumping at the opportunity." She felt him momentarily stiffen as he took in her words and he looked up at her pinning her gaze with his own heated one. She held his gaze for a minute before she lowered it to stare at her hand; he turned his attention back to her hand as well and began to pull the glass from her hand. Her eyes filled with tears and she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out as he pulled shards from her hand. His hair fell forward to conceal his face from him as he worked and she reached up with her other hand to move it out of the way. His head jerked up as she tucked it behind his ear and he leaned into her palm closing his eyes against the comfort he received from her touch.

Severus was again surprised at how comforting her touch was, even something as innocent as her cupping his cheek, it comforted him; reminded him that someone loved him. His brain caught up to his actions in the next second and he pulled his head from her hand and scowled as he began to heal her palm. He watched as the skin knitted itself back together as he mentally and emotionally got himself back in check; he was a grown man not some silly school boy.

"Any other injuries?" He asked sharply and she motioned silently to her knees so he led her over to the nearest chair then signaled for her to sit. He pushed her skirt up over her knees and pulled her cut socks down trying to ignore the thoughts of what was laying just under her skirt out of his sight. He lifted her leg and set it on his lap as he kneeled on the floor then inspected the cut for glass. He didn't see any so he waved his hand over the cut to clean it then again to heal it. "There, good as new."

Hermione didn't move at his proclamation but instead sat staring at him as he avoided her gaze. She reached down to cup his cheek again forcing him to look up at her. Once her eyes met his it was like a fire was set ablaze through her, his sharp intake of breath told her that he had seen the desire she felt strumming through her body. She flicked her eyes down to his lips to see that they were parted with his breathing though she couldn't hear it. She leaned forward slowly giving him a chance to pull away but he stayed where he was, their eyes were glued on each other as she drifted closer but before their lips could meet his next class could be heard coming down the hall. She could've cursed as he stood abruptly his smooth expressionless mask falling back into place.

"No detention tonight Miss Granger, 25 points from Gryffindor instead." He said crossing his arms and staring down at her in what looked like disgust.

"Severus—" Hermione began.

"Do not use my first name Miss Granger." He snarled at her and she hung her head.

"Yes sir." She said as she stood up, grabbing her bag she walked towards the door but before she walked through it she looked back at him. "You know, for someone who claims he feels nothing and I mean nothing you have yet to take off your bracelet. You have yet to stop wearing my own around you wrist as well. That doesn't seem like unfeeling to me." She turned back and walked out the door smirking to herself when she heard a vial breaking against the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	24. A Spy's Logic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione's good mood lasted all the way to dinner that night as she thought about the look on Severus's face when she called him on wearing the bracelets. Part of her wanted to ask for hers back but how do you go about doing that? "Hey, I know I was a horrible person to you but could I have my bracelet back? Thanks." She mentally snorted at the thought of what his reaction would be to that conversation. She walked into the Great Hall to see that Harry and Ron were already sitting down for dinner dripping mud on the floor at their feet.

"You guys are going to get hell if Filch sees the mess you've made." Hermione commented as she sat down across from them. Ron looked down at the floor to see the muddy mess he'd made but he just shrugged and continued eating. Their attentions were turned away from their food however when a second year went running up the hall and slipped in the mud. He screamed at the top of his lungs as he slid a few feet before coming to the stop at the feet of Severus Snape. The Gryffindor had to duck their heads quickly into their plates when they saw their professor's face at having mud on his robes.

"Pro-prof-professor Sn-Snape, I'm-I'm sorry. I-I-I slipped." Said the tiny boy and when Snape reached down to grab him he screamed. "Oh God he's going to kill me, help!" The entire hall went silent as his proclamation waiting for their fearsome professor's reaction.

Hermione watched as the man's eyes flicked up to hers then back down at the boy now curled into a ball at his feet.

"Mr. Fillmore, I can assure you I am not going to kill you, the paperwork would be dreadfully boring." Severus drawled in a bored voice as he bent to pull the boy to his feet again.

The hall was silent for a minute until Hermione started giggling at the obvious joke the man had made, that's all it took for the entire hall to start laughing.

"See you guys? You should clean yourself up before you come into the hall." Hermione said as she giggled into her plate trying not to look at Severus.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, it seems that you have not learned to clean up after yourselves; 25 points apiece from Gryffindor so for endangering fellow classmates life." Severus sneered at the two boys who looked ashamed as they pulled their wands out to clean the mess up but they were stopped by Snape. "Oh no, that's far too easy, you two will return here after dinner with Mr. Filch to help him clean the hall; the entire hall boys perhaps that will remind you to clean up after yourself in the future." He smirked at the boys' outraged faces then continued out of the hall.

Hermione watched his retreating back for a minute deliberating whether she should go after him or not. She looked up as the boy's started complaining about the unfairness of the punishment and she rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go to the library to study, see you tomorrow." She waited for the boys to nod their assent then turned to walk out of the hall.

She looked up the corridor looking for her professor but he was already out of sight. She huffed out a breath and decided to head to the library; a few hours of studying would do her some good. She greeted Madame Pince when she walked in and headed to her favorite corner to study. After she pulled out the books and parchment she would need for the assignment she would work on she set to work.

"Hello my dear," Came a softly familiar voice and she looked up quickly wincing as her neck protested the sharp movement after being immobile for so long.

"Abaven!" She squeaked happily as the griffin jumped onto the table. "How have you been? Where have you been?" She asked as she nuzzled her face into his feathery neck and he rubbed his head against her cheek.

"I've been here keeping an eye on Crookshanks for you just as you asked before…" Hermione smiled warmly at the griffin. When she had asked the creature to watch out for Crooks when she was gone she had hoped that they would keep each other company. Upon her arrival back at the castle before the battle her cat had come to find her. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered when Crookshanks had viciously attacked a death eater that had been trying to curse her, her brave cat had been struck down by the Avada Kedavra curse and this time there was no saving it.

"Thank you," She whispered into his neck then gave him a watery as he butted her cheek drying the tears that had spilled down her cheeks.

"Ah child, it is the least I can do after you helped save my owner."

"Speaking of him how is he?" She asked curiously as she moved to pack her bag.

"Not sleeping well actually, it seems that though Moldy Voldy is gone something still troubles him." She avoided the pointed look Abaven was giving her under the pretense of putting her books into her bag.

"Hm." She said non-committedly.

"Hermione, what happened?" Abaven pressed and she sighed.

"I don't know honestly, he found me one day in a village that he and the death eaters had pillaged leaving all but a small boy dead. I found the boy quite on accident; he was only 3 at the time and lying in a pool of his mother's blood. Severus showed up and tried to take him from me, told me he'd take him somewhere safe, but I didn't believe him. I gave him back his bracelet that he gave me, and then left. I took the little boy, whom I obliviated and gave a new identity to a nearby orphanage then left him there. I send him money every week when I am able so that he will have some means of provisions. I wish I could have kept him Abaven, but what sort of life is a fugitive on the run supposed to give him?" Hermione explained feeling more tears spill down her face but didn't bother to stop them. She remembered the little boys face perfectly as she picked him up from the ground, saw the complete trust he put in her; the most heartbreaking thing in the world was leaving him at the dim looking building.

"What did you name him?" Abaven voice said pulling her from her depressing thoughts.

Hermione laughed a bit through her tears as she said, "Tobias, Severus' middle name you know? I couldn't think of any names… but that was one that popped into my head. Tobias Ethan Granger."

"You gave him your last name?" Abaven said in mild shock.

"I had to, who else was I supposed to put down? At least now," Hermione's voice broke but she pressed on. "At least now I have family and when he gets older he'll be able to track the name down hopefully finding me. I'll be able to explain to him what I did… what his mother did for him." Hot tears traced themselves down her face again unchecked by her as Abaven stared at her with a look that was so similar to his owner that she just cried harder. How she wished that everything could be find between her and Severus instead of their arguing. She longed to just go to his quarters and throw herself at him; confess everything that she'd gone through. "No one knows about him, the little boy, I couldn't tell anyone." She stood up quickly as she grabbed her bag, pausing only to kiss the top of Abaven's head whispering thanks then ran out of the Library.

"You can stop lurking in the shadows now," Abaven called and watched as his owner stepped from the shadows looking extremely pale.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus had walked into the library to get a book when he heard the voice of his familiar and followed it. He stopped abruptly in the shadows when he saw that the griffin was sitting with none other than Hermione Granger. He silently cast a concealment charm and stepped closer so he could hear what was being said. His heart sank as she explained about her cat, how it had died at the hands of a death eater and knowing that this time he wasn't around to save him. When she explained about the little boy he almost stopped breathing altogether so that he didn't miss a single thing being said; his eyes widened when she said what his name was. He felt tears well in his eyes as she told the creature about how she had to leave him, how she had wanted to keep him. He never knew she had wanted kids but it seemed like a silly thing to overlook. The memory of her protectiveness of the little boy had startled him at the time but for days after he realized that she protected him as a mother would. He watched in silence as she rushed from the library feeling his heart stop when his familiar told him to stop lurking in the shadows.

He stepped forward to sit in the seat the girl had just left dropping heavily and putting his head in his hands.

"She is very mature for such a young person," Abaven said from above him.

"Yes she is." Severus replied absentmindedly.

"You love her still." It wasn't a question.

"Yes."

"Then what are you doing you daft man?" Abaven said exasperatedly.

"Keeping myself from getting hurt and being rejected again," Severus said heatedly. "I will not be made a fool again by her."

"What are you doing now you silly man? You are being a fool."

"I am… doing what is in the best interest for both of us." Severus said in a resigned voice. "Ow!" He exclaimed as one of the griffins paws came down roughly on top of his head. "That hurt."

"Yes, the past can hurt but you can either learn from it or run from it."

Severus glared at the griffin who glared right back at him until the man huffed out a breath and sagged in defeat. "I don't know what to do."

"Then why not go to the one person who can council you?"

"He is a portrait."

"What is your point? That just means you don't have to worry about killing him." Abaven said as he slipped off the table and slunk away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later Severus was standing in front of the headmistress's door debating whether to knock or not. He sighed heavily as he raised his fist to knock but the door swung open before his hand could make contact with the wood.

"Oh for heaven sakes, you've been standing there for nearly 20 minutes. Come in come in." Minerva said impatiently, she was clearly ready for bed as her hair was out of the severe bun she kept it in and she was in a boring looking dressing gown.

"How did you—" Severus started but she waved her hand a something behind her and he raised his eyes to see the twinkling eyes of the late Albus Dumbledore staring at him. "Of course, even as a painting you are a meddling old man."

"I'll leave you two to it then, good night Severs." Minerva said before she walked through the door that he knew led to the headmaster/mistress's quarters.

Severus walked to the high back chair he had sat in only a year before slumping into it then turning his eyes up to the portrait. "I need your help Albus."

"Oh my, if I wasn't dead already I'm quite sure I would die from shock." Albus teased and received a glare for his trouble.

"It's Herm—Miss Granger." Severus explained covering his faux pa quickly.

"You love her my boy, what is the problem?" Albus questioned.

Severus launched into the story of what had happened starting from him healing her cat, Albus kept quiet through it all except to ask a question here and there. He explained about the day in the village trying to keep both his temper and his hurt under control. When his story was finished he looked up at the portrait to see that Albus was sitting in his chair with his eyes closed, thinking he had fallen asleep Severus made to stand up.

"So you are feeling betrayed because the young woman acted as you would have in her same position? Trusting no one but youself with the life of a child?" Albus said as he opened his eyes and pierced the younger man with a sharp look.

"I didn't think about it that way but why didn't she just give him to me? She knew of my loyalties Albus, she knew that I would not hurt the boy." Severus said as he stood up to pace around the office.

"But did she? She saw an innocent child, Severus, an innocent child and a death eater. Now hold on," Albus said as he held up his hand to stop Severus' retort. "She was thinking firstly for the little boy that had seen so much horror on that day, her thoughts were not on her lover. You would have obliviated him claiming his parents had died in a wreck and he had amnesia. She knew that you would help him but she had already formed her plan before you appeared. She erased the terrible things the little boy had witnessed, instead placing memories of a hard life and a mother who loved him very much. She gave him a new identity, with her surname so that if the boy tries to locate her, he can do so. Are you so surprised at the brilliance and caring nature of her actions? Is it anything less than what you would expect her to do had your wounded pride not gotten in the way?" Severus had opened his mouth several times during his lecture only to snap it shut again as the clear logic hit him like Abaven had.

He stopped pacing and fell into the chair again like a balloon that had deflated; the logic in her actions was so clear…so Hermione-ish that he felt vaguely foolish for not seeing it before.

"I am such a fool."

Albus chuckled at the statement earning another sharp look from Severus. "People are often fools in love son, they aren't just blind to the sometimes wrong that their lovers do but also the good."

"What do I do?"

"That is completely up to you Severus. If you want to keep her at a distance not mending what you've so wonderfully messed up, then continue on with your actions. If you want her back, you know what you must do. You know the actions you have to change and apologize for in order to fix it." He had to admit to himself the truth in the portraits words but it wouldn't be easy.

"Severus," a soft feminine voice called causing the men to look over to see Minerva standing there in the doorway. "You deserve this, you deserve her and more importantly she is good for you. Quit thinking you are not worthy of love because of a mistake you made over two decades ago." She said this then turned back into the room and shut the door.

Severus looked up at the portrait to see that the man had fallen asleep. He stood to his feet and walked to the door looking back once to whisper "meddling old fools" then left not seeing the man open an eyelid and smirk then close it again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	25. A Spy's Memory

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus spent the next week thinking of ways to apologize to Hermione but every time he came up with an idea he quickly shot it down because it was too stupid or foolish. He growled in frustration as he paced his rooms thinking of more ideas.

Abaven was sitting on the couch watching his owner with something close to sympathetic amusement. Severus had been in a bad mood since he had been asked by Minerva to go back to teaching Potions instead of Defense, which Lupin was now teaching. It's not that he was upset with the werewolf, not exactly; he was just upset with himself for losing his temper with Hermione and allowing it to affect his classroom etiquette.

Severus sat down in a huff, "it's hopeless. There's no way she'll talk to me after what I've said to her." He stared into the fire for a moment before he stood back up to continue pacing.

"Severus, if you keep pacing like that you're going to wear out your favorite carpet." Abaven said as he groomed his feathers.

"I'll buy a new one," Snapped the man as he paced faster.

"Why not write her a note?" The griffin ruffled his feathers at the glare the man sent him. "Why not send her back the bracelet? If she wears it then you know you've got a chance, and then you can communicate with her that way."

Severus stopped pacing at this suggestion and looked mildly impressed by the brilliance of it. He nodded his head as he stalked over to his desk in the corner; he pulled out a piece of parchment and quill then thought of what to write.

Miss Hermione,

I wanted to return your bracelet to you, 

I hope that you will wear it, 

Regardless of how you feel about me.

S.S

He looked at the note for a minute before he nodded his head and tapped the parchment with his wand sealing it. Taking the bracelet from his wrist and securing it around the letter seemed a good idea but instead he frowned; he tapped the parchment again then stuck the bracelet inside and tapped it again. Abaven walked over to him to wait for him to attach the parchment to his neck then he scampered off. Severus used him when he was sending messages through the castle, much easier than using an owl. Severus watched him go before he stood up and poured himself a large helping of Odgen's finest then sat and waited for his return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione had just laid down for bed when the door to her room opened; she looked over to see Abaven walking towards her. She smiled in welcome as the griffin jumped onto her bed but frowned when he dropped a piece of parchment onto her chest.

"What—" She began.

"Just read it Hermione, please." Abaven responded with the barest hint of a plea in his voice. He was tired of his two humans fighting and he really wanted them to just get over it.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him as he began to groom himself but she turned to the parchment and tapped it with her wand. It opened dropping something onto her lap but her eyes were focused on the few words that Severus had written. She glanced at Abaven with a raised eyebrow and picked up the bracelet that had fallen out. She raised it up to look at it noticing that it was in the same shape it had been in since she had thrown it at him many months ago.

"I don't suppose you have anything to do with this?" She said the griffin who finally turned his attention back to her.

"He loves you Hermione, just as he has all along, he is just stubborn." Abaven commented and butted his head against her cheek when she gave a un-lady-like snort of amusement.

Hermione sighed as she dropped her hands down holding the bracelet in her lap; she stared at it as though it would tell her what she should do. "I do love him but his words hurt me."

"And so too did yours habibi," Abaven replied.

She opened her mouth to argue but shut it again when she realized that he had a point. She grabbed the bracelet and fastened it onto her wrist again feeling it grow hot as though it were rejoicing. It was as she laid down on her side and felt something poke the side of her head that she remembered what she'd been reading before Abaven had entered. She pulled out the necklace holding the velvet box that Severus had given to her to hold. Abaven sat down next to her as she re-enlarged the box then opened it to look at the contents again.

She unrolled the parchment and gasped when she read what was there.

The last will and testament of Severus Tobias Snape; 

To Miss Hermione Granger I leave all of my property, including but not limited to my house on Spinners End, the entire contents of my bank account, my entire library, and my potions ingredients. Upon the event of my death she is to be told the address of my house as it is secret kept. 

As Hermione read his will she saw that he had left her everything, literally everything. The money that he had attained through his various jobs had been a very large amount, enough that she could live comfortable without working even if she had a few kids.

She looked up at Abaven with tears in her eyes and he shook his head so she turned back to the other things that had been in the box. She held up the key and saw that it was his Gringotts key, she frowned at this.

"How could he get into his bank account without the key?" She asked the griffin who merely shook his head again.

"Perhaps he doesn't need to?"

She held up the vials that contained what she now knew where memories but she didn't open them. She leaned over to her bedside table to grab a little bag that she normally kept her jewelry in; she placed the vials into the bag then attached it to Abaven's neck. She conjured a piece of parchment and quill to write back to Severus and send Abaven on his way with the missive, the will, the vials, and the key.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus looked up as Abaven entered his rooms and watched as he walked over to him. The griffin jumped onto his knees so Severus could remove the items attached to his neck.

"She gave this stuff back?" Severus asked feeling a lump raise in his throat. Abaven nodded briefly but motioned for the parchment included.

Severus tapped it with his wand and swallowed roughly as he read the words.

Severus,

As you have thankfully survived and I am no longer in need of these items I thought it best to return them to you. I have not viewed the memories, but I know that your will, Gringotts key, and memories are probably better off in your hands. 

HG 

Severus looked up at Abaven who was patiently sitting on his lap. "Did she—is the bracelet?"

"It is safely back where it belongs." Abaven replied and Severus felt the lump in his throat leave as he realized that she was giving him another chance. He looked at Abaven for a minute before he put his wand to his temple withdrawing another memory and putting it into the vial. "Take this back to her and have her watch it please. She—she needs to see it."

Abaven nodded again and waited until he had attached the vial before he turned and left the room. "I should get paid for this," He grumbled to himself as he walked through the corridors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was having the most pleasant dream when she felt something licking her face. She batted it away but it only came back to lick her again.

"Hermione! Hermione! Wake up woman." She opened her eyes and saw yellow eyes staring at her. She felt a stranger sense of dejavu as she sat up to see Abaven staring up at her.

"Mmmm now what?" She asked with a thick voice clouded with sleep.

"You have to view these," Abaven said.

Hermione looked closely to see a vial of swirling memories and she groaned slightly as she transfigured her pillow into a bowl suitable for the memories. She poured the contents of the vial into the pillow-bowl then ducked her head placing her face into the liquid.

Hermione fell into the headmasters office and saw Severus sitting behind the desk writing on a piece of parchment. 

"The mudblood—" 

"Do not use that word in my presence," Sverus growled at a portrait. 

She turned her head to see that it was Phineus Nigelus. 

"The girl then and the Potter boy are camping in the Forest of Dean." Severus nodded and stood to his feet, moving behind the chair he had just left. He pulled open the portrait of Dumbledore then tapped a safe that was hidden there; he pulled the sword of Gryffindor out and put the portrait back. 

"You mustn't be seen Severus, not even by Hermione." Severus nodded quickly before he disappeared. 

The scene shifted and this time she was standing next to Severus as he faced her in the village. He realized that it was her and winced when the memory of her placed her foot on his neck. She felt tears well in her eyes as she watched and heard the words she had spoken to him then as she threw her bracelet at him. She disappeared in the memory but she stayed behind; Severus stood staring at the place she'd vanished for a moment before he turned to look across at the dead bodies. She watched with tears streaming down her face as he dug a hole and buried each person; taking care to clean them first before he placed them into their final resting place. 

The surroundings shifted to show that he was laying in the Shrieking Shack as she, Harry, and Ron had run in after he'd been bitten by Nagini. She watched as he tried to catch her eye but the memory her was too occupied trying to get Harry the vial. 

"Look-at-me," He said in a strangled voice and the memory Hermione finally met his eyes but it was too late, the light had gone out of his eyes. Of course the three of them had left before the anti-venom he had taken kicked in allowing him to take the rest of the potions he had on his person. 

The memory shifted again to show him hiding in the shadows of the library as he listened to her and Abaven's conversation about the little boy. She watched through teary eyes as she witnessed the memory of him talking to Dumbledore. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from the feeling of love coursing through her. 

A swirl of colors shifted again to show her walking into the orphanage and she gasped when she realized that the feeling she had gotten of being watched wasn't just her paranoia. She watched herself leave and then as Severus entered after she was gone. He walked up to the front desk to enquire who she had been there to see. 

"Who are you?" The woman asked taking in his unusual appearance. 

"Her husband," Severus replied without blinking. 

"Ah, she was here seeing the little boy she couldn't care for. Sad thing, too, she came in here looking like she'd been living on the streets the poor dear. She dropped him off with a large sum of money saying that he was to have all the books he needed along with clothing regardless of the cost. Curious thing that she could afford that but not to care for the boy but we don't ask questions; she's been back every month since she dropped him off." 

Severus stared at the woman for a moment, "May I see him?" 

The woman surveyed him for a moment before she nodded and led him back. "Tobias, you have another visitor." 

"Is it mummy again?" A little voice said and Severus looked around to see the boy sitting on a bed looking at a picture. 

"No dear, this is her husband." She turned to leave the two of them to talk. 

"You're not her husband, she'd not married, mummy said she wasn't. Who are you?" Tobias said staring at Severus with mistrust. 

"I am a very good friend of your mothers." 

"You look familiar, have I seen you before?" 

"How old are you boy?" Severus said, impressed by the intelligence of this scrap of a boy. 

"I'll be four in December, on the 19th, mummy says she going to come get me and take me away to celebrate Christmas." 

"I'm sure she will," Severus replied but the rest of his words were cut off as the memory shifted again. 

She was watching them in the bathroom making love in the water. His words made her flinch as did her callous actions but as memory-Hermione walked out the door she watched as he opened his mouth to call after her but he shook his head. "I'm such a fool." 

The memory shifted again to show the day when he had healed her hand, they were close to kissing when they heard kids walking down the corridors towards the classroom. He jerked away and lashed out in the way he always did when he showed emotions. He dropped into a chair after she walked out and he put his head in his hands, his shoulders were gently shaking telling her that he was crying. 

She felt herself being pulled out of the bowl and she siphoned the memories back into the vial. She looked at Abaven with tears running down her face and she buried her face in his neck. "I've been so—so—so stupid Abaven, all this time he's loved me and I wouldn't believe it because of his actions."

Abaven sat with her as she cried herself to sleep only leaving once her hiccoughs had subsided. He walked back down to his owner's room finding him asleep in his bed. "Good job Severus, good job."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	26. A Spy's Doubts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione walked into the Great Hall for breakfast the next day wearing a short sleeved shirt with her normal uniform; she had made sure that the bracelet was standing clearly for all to see.

She didn't think it would be a problem until Ron pointed it out again. "You never told us who gave you that bracelet." He said through a mouthful of eggs.

"Finish your food Ronald before you make me sick," Hermione snapped, purposely not answering his question.

"Who gave you the Bracelet Hermione?" He asked as soon as his mouth was empty.

"It's none of your business who gave me the bracelet Ron." Hermione avoided his gaze by busying herself with buttering her toast. The smells of all the food was making her slightly nauseous but she bit into the toast loving the way that the butter tasted as it melted.

"Well you got it while we were dating, so were you cheating on me?" His voice steadily rose as he said these words but Hermione stayed calm.

"No, I got this while you were still sucking face with Lav-Lav."

"I don't remember seeing it then—" Ron started but was interrupted by Hermione and Ginny.

"You had your freakin' face stuck to Lavendar's—" Hermione said angrily.

"Ron leave her alone before I have to curse you, whoever Hermione is dating is her business not yours." Ginny said as she calmly placed her wand on the table. One thing about Ginny is that even though she's small, she's mighty so don't mess with her.

Ron glared at the two of them throughout lunch and when Hermione stood up he grabbed her wrist and tried to rip the bracelet off of her.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" Hermione shouted at him as he kept trying to remove it, the entire hall had stopped to stare at them.

"Trying—to-get-it –off," Ron snarled accompanying each word with a tug that was harder and harder. Hermione felt tears well in her eyes as the metal cut into her wrist but was saved the problem of responding by a silky voice behind her.

"Mister Weasley, I suggest you remove your hands from Miss Granger's person at once," Hermione looked around and almost sagged in relief at the sight of Severus standing behind her.

"Bugger off Snape, this doesn't involve you." Ron said impishly still pulling at the bracelet.

Hermione looked up at Severus' face and if she had been any other person she would've run screaming in fear, as it was she couldn't move due to the fact that Ron still have her arm in a bruising grip. She ducked out of the way as Severus reached around her a plucked Ron up by the scruff of his robes.

"Oi! Let go of me you great bat," Ron said taking swipes at the air but Severus merely held him away from his body.

"150 points from Gryffindor Mister Weasley and a months' worth detention with Professor Snape," The three of them turned to see Professor McGonagall striding towards them looking very angry. "You should have more respect for your friends as well as your professors. Professor Snape, please take Miss Granger to the hospital wing to have her arm looked at."

Hermione trailed behind Severus as he led the way to the hospital wing; she kept quiet because there was a risk of being overheard. He waited outside the infirmary as Hermione went in to get fixed up and when she emerged he immediately grabbed her hand to lead her to the same empty classroom they'd kissed in.

"Why was Wealey trying to get that off of you," Severus asked in a low growl.

"Because he's a stupid boy who thinks with half the brain he was graced with." Hermione responded quietly. She looked up into her lover's face and then stepped forward to wrap her arms around him. "I'm sorry." They both knew what the apology was for; they both knew that the other was sick of fighting.

Severus buried his face in her hair breathing deeply her scent and whispered, "I'm sorry as well."

Hermione turned her head and smiled widely at him then leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him. Before her lips could meet his however she pulled back quickly; she looked around the room and saw an old mop bucket, she grabbed it just as a wave of nausea and vomit made its way up her throat. She felt hands at her neck pulling her hair back so it didn't get in the way and Severus rubbed her back soothingly.

"Well, I have to say I haven't had that reaction to my kissing before," He joked and Hermione gave a half strangled chuckle.

"Shut it," she said as she stood up shakily then vanished the bucket with its contents. She cast a quickly cleaning spell on her face to get rid of the sweat, then again on her mouth to get rid of the after-taste.

"Are you sick?" Severus asked concerned.

"No, I ate something bad and it's disagreed with me," Hermione responded with a slightly scratchy voice. "I have to get to class, and so do you. Can I see you later?"

He stared down at her for a moment before he nodded his head jerkily; she leaned up on tiptoe to peck him on the cheek then hurried from the classroom leaving a pensive Severus behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus' bad mood didn't improve from breakfast, even though Hermione's class was the first one. Weasley was there shooting glares at the girl and he had to clench his jaw to keep from hexing the boy six ways to Sunday. Whatever had been Hermione's problem didn't seem to be there any longer, she looked well enough; if not a little queasy but she brewed her potion with her usual perfection. He sat at his desk grading papers until the end of the class then told the students to bottle their attempts and place them on his desk. He caught Hermione's eye and she gave him a small smile which improved his mood only slightly until the first years walked in, then it was hell again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione sat down for lunch and piled food on her plate, the nausea that had been there that morning was gone leaving a ravenous hunger in its place. Ginny raised an amused eyebrow at her but she shrugged. Ron was sitting down the table was Dean and Seamus since Harry had taken Ginny's side which meant he was also on Hermione's side. He was angry at their other best friend for his childish jealousy he displayed that morning.

"You know you don't have to stick up for me," Hermione said to Harry. She almost laughed as he looked sideways at his fiancé sitting at his side eating a sandwich.

"That's alright, 'Mione. Ron was bang out of order." Harry said turning his eyes back to his own food. She understood that in order to stay in Ginny's good graces and out of a fight was to side with Ginny.

"Why did you guys decide to come back to school? Your plans were to go to the Auror office before Ginny and I left for school, what changed?" Hermione asked, she hadn't asked them before this because she didn't want to start an argument but now seemed like a good idea.

Harry scowled at his food for a minute before he answered her. "It was suggested to us that we return to school to get our NEWT's, even though I killed Voldemort apparently that's not enough for the Ministry."

Hermione watched as Ginny leaned against him and kissed him in the cheek. "You're still my hero even if the stupid Ministry doesn't think it's good enough." She smiled as Harry blushed red but kissed the girl's forehead.

They were good together, Harry and Ginny, they balanced each other perfectly in the way that she kept him grounded and he kept her calmed. Ginny, though the youngest Weasley, had more daring than her brothers; save Fred and George perhaps. Harry, though often acted rashly, he was there when she let her anger get the best of her. He stepped up to face her anger when most people would see her and run. They were the perfect balancing act for each other and she was happy they'd finally worked through all their stuff.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night at around 8 o'clock she knocked on Severus' door and waited until he bid her to enter before she pushed open the door and stepped into his familiar quarters. She looked down as she crossed the threshold and the sight of blood made her eyes tear up. She knew it was Crookshanks blood because of where it was located but she quickly blinked away the tears and greeted the man with a smile.

"Hello sir," She said unsure if she should use his first name.

"Hello Hermione," He responded and that gave her leave to use his first name as well. She walked over to where he was sitting on the couch and straddled his lap pushing the book he was reading out of the way. He looked up with an amused and exasperated look as he set the book aside and wrapped his arms around her.

"I've missed this," Hermione said against his shoulder and felt a kiss pressed to her head in response.

"As have I."

"Can I ask you a question?" Hermione said pulling away to look at him.

"You just did, but yes, you may ask another one."

"Why did you go to see Tobias?" She watched his face closely but other than him looking away from her and into the fire he gave nothing away; his face was like a closed book.

"I was… curious." He responded after a few minutes though he didn't look at her.

"What about?" She pressed gently.

"About the boy himself I suppose, I was curious to see how well your memory charm worked and how you explained your role in his life." He still didn't look at her but she saw a flicker of admiration cross his features before his face fell back into its usual mask.

"I couldn't very well leave him with no memories and no family, that wouldn't have been right." Hermione said somewhat defensively and he finally looked at her a slight smile on his face.

"Look at the mama-bear coming out in you, I wasn't insulting your plan or yourself, I was merely commenting on your actions." He said gently and she blushed at her defensive behavior.

"I'm sorry, I've been so touchy lately, I think maybe my horm—" She froze in the middle of her sentence as she stared across the room unseeing.

Severus stared at her as her face seemed to drain of color and felt himself grow worried. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

She shook her head and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Have—have you ever used a contraception charm when we've—we've had sex?"

Severus shook his head at her and then felt her implication hit him like a freight train. "You're—Are you pregnant?" He asked in a strangled voice but she just shrugged her shoulders then buried her face in his shoulder and burst into body-wracking sobs.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't even think about it. I've been so—so hormonal for a while and I didn't even think about what that meant. We only just stopped fighting and now I go and do something as stupid as this, I totally understand if you're mad, I'd be mad too. I'm just going to go now and die in my bed." She sobbed into his shoulder and jumped off his lap before he had a chance to react and ran out of his quarters into her own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abaven walked into Severus' quarters and saw him sitting on the couch staring blankly into the fire, he jumped on his lap. "Earth to Severus."

Severus looked at him with a startled haunted look in his eyes then seemed to snap out of it and stood quickly. Abaven watched worriedly as he immediately began to pace moving in short jerky steps that was very unlike him. "Severus, what has happened?" Abaven asked with concern laced in his voice.

"Pregnant—" Severus responded in a strangled voice.

"WHAT!" Abaven roared in surpise, his voice loud for a creature so small. His voice seemed to break Severus out of his trance though as he slumped back down onto the couch next to Abaven and place his head in his hands. "Hermione-?"

"Who else Abaven?" Severus snapped feeling himself grow angry. "It's probably not even mine, she's been on the run for months with two hormone riddled boys and-OW!" Severus whipped his head around as Abaven's paw and claws made contact with his face.

"You honestly think that she was having a shag fest while she was on the run? Honestly Severus, have you any brains left in that head of yours or have the fled from you in fear of the stupidity running rampant through your system?" Abaven said in a growled voice reminding Severus instantly why he was a wildly untamed animal that many people avoided. He cowered down into the couch away from the animal as it stared at him with a gaze that reminded him of Albus'. "Did she take a test or do the charm before you opened your mouth?"

Severus shook his head gently, "No she freaked out about how she didn't mean to do it and how she'd been hormonal for a while and-and—oh Merlin." Severus said as he stared into the fire replaying the events in the empty classroom that morning. She had vomited in front of him then told him she had eaten something bad… What if she didn't eat anything bad but was in fact pregnant? He buried his head in his hands letting his shoulders shake with sobs.

"Ah Severus, it's not all that bad." Abaven said losing his anger instantly to comfort his owner and friend.

"I can't be a father Abaven, my father was a horrid man and I'm not fit to be a father." Severus said through his hands. Abaven looked at him as he succumbed to the rare show of emotions then gently prodded the man to look at him.

"Severus, you are not your father, you never have been. You have long since atoned for the mistakes of your past and you deserve happiness. Would you love her any less if she was pregnant with your child?" Abaven said gently.

Severus looked at the creature thinking the question over. Would he love her less? The image of her standing in front of him with a slightly swollen belly knowing it was his child made his heart burst. "No, no I would not love her less."

"Would you abandon her and the baby? Want her to get rid of it or hide it away in shame?" Severus glared furiously at the creature but then he smoothed his face out and shook his head.

"No, I could never do that. I know how it feels to have a mother and father who do not love each other and who are ashamed of their child; I would never subject my own flesh and blood to that." Severus said ferociously.

"Then what are you worried about?" Abaven questioned.

Severus opened his mouth to answer but then shut it again. What was he worried about? "What if it's not mine?" He voiced the question that was nagging on his conscious.

"Do you truly and honestly believe that he has been unfaithful to you? Put aside your thoughts and past wrongs for a minute and think really think Severus. Do you have any doubts of her faithfulness?" Abaven said in a gentle voice.

"No, I do not doubt her but we don't even know if she is pregnant though." Severus said and he smirked at the creature realizing what he had done. "Are you sure you were Albus Dumbledore in a previous life?"

Abaven butted his head against his owners' neck in a show of affection before he turned to leave and find the girl. "I will go find her." The man nodded his head but the griffin was already gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was sitting in her room with her wand pointed at her stomach, watching the colors flash and play in the dark like her own personal Aurora Borealis. Abaven jumped onto her bed to watch her and she looked at him with tears streaming down her face.

"How could this have happened Abaven?" Hermione asked already knowing the answer. "He'll never forgive me now, I should just leave… Go into hiding." New sobs wracked her body and she placed her hands over her face. Abaven stared at the girl who was falling apart in front of him and he stepped gently onto her chest then lay down. He started to purr in a way that gently calmed her, as her hands dropped away and she slid into a restful sleep Abaven watched the colors fade from her belly that confirmed what he already knew: she was pregnant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	27. A Foolish Spy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione stayed in her room through breakfast and Potions, telling Harry when he came asking as to if she was attending classes, she said she was going to the hospital wing. She was going of course, she needed to be checked out and she trusted Madame Pomfrey.

She walked slowly to the hospital wing and entered, she looked around was relieved to see it was empty. "Madame Pomfrey?"

"Yes?" The medi-witch came walking towards her smiling. "What can I do for you, my dear?"

"I uh, need you to check if I'm pregnant." Hermione said as she avoided the older witches gaze.

Other than pursed lips the woman said nothing as she motioned for Hermione to lie down, a quick spell later and the witch confirmed her thoughts. "You are indeed pregnant my dear," at a look at the young woman's face, she said, "There is a potion you can take… if you don't wish to keep it."

Hermione looked up at her quickly and nodded her head, not watching as the woman stared at her for a few more seconds before she walked away then back with a vial of sickly looking purple potion in her hand. "You need to be sure, Hermione, once you drink this there will be no going back, it will kill the fetus immediately then your body will flush it out. Take it lying down and with at least one other person in case things go badly."

"You—you won't tell anyone?" Hermione asked in a shaky voice as she climbed to her feet.

"I can't dear; I'm bound by doctor-patient confidentiality." Madame Pomfrey said as she watched the girl nod and walked from the infirmary staring at the vial in her hand. She sighed heavily and hoped that the girl decided not to take it; if her suspicions were right the father of that baby wouldn't be happy. The nurse thought for a moment at how far along the girl was and she drew her own conclusions about the dark haired father.

~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus walked to the hospital wing with fear clenching his heart; he slammed through the doors and towards the office of Madame Pomfrey.

"Was she here?" He asked the elderly woman without preamble.

"Yes, she was here, she left some time ago; an hour or more perhaps." She responded gravely. "You're the father then?" At his jerky nod her lips thinned into a severe line. "I thought as much…"

"What did you give her?" He asked and seeing the saddened look on the woman's face he felt himself grow dizzy. "Poppy, what did you give her!" He knew he was taking his anger out on the wrong person, but he was ready to kill with his bare hands.

"Severus, I can't go against her wishes, you know the potion… You brewed it…You know its effectiveness—Severus, I don't know if she took it." But Severus wasn't listening as he turned and stormed from the hall. He was furious, shaking mad, he saw red as he slammed his way from the infirmary. He would kill her; kill her with his bare hands if she ended its life, his child. He wondered where she would go, it would take too long to search the castle and by then it could be too late. His thoughts turned to the bracelet they had, how effective they would be if—if—he wanted to slap himself. She was wearing her bracelet, he pointed his wand at his bracelet and sent the furious message; hoping it wouldn't be too late.

~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione had didn't know how long she sat on the floor of the Room of Requirement staring at the potion in her hand. She had come here because she didn't know where else to go, who else could she trust with this? The room had provided a hospital room of sorts with faceless dummies to stand by in case anything went amiss. She uncorked the vial and sniffed the contents then winced at the dreadful smell and swirled the contents. She raised the vial to her lips but then pulled it away; she looked down at her stomach and again at the vial. She pulled it towards her lips again only to pull it away again. She couldn't do it, could she? Would it hurt? Would the—the life suffer inside her? She put the vial up to her lips again before she sighed and pulled it away and walked to a sink to pour it out.

Her wrist suddenly burned hot and she hissed out in pain as she raised her fiery bracelet up to read the message.

Where the fuck are you?

She gulped as she felt the bracelet continue to burn, apparently Severus was not happy. She sighed and sent him back her location not looking up when he entered mere minutes later. When she heard his ragged breathing and his quickened footsteps she looked up; she cowed away from him as she catch sight of his face. She squeaked as he grabbed her arm around and pulled her up to face him, again reminded why so many people feared him.

"How much did you drink you selfish bitch? Did you not think to notify me, its father before you decided to take its life? You disgust me, how much did you take?" He snarled at her shaking her roughly.

Hermione looked up at him in total fear and tears began to spill down her face. She held up the vial but knew immediately that he thought she'd drank it all when he shoved her from him with a roar of pure rage.

"I will never forgive you, I never want to see your face out of my classroom again, and you are dead to me! Do you hear me? You are completely dead to me, you selfish bitch." He snarled with such venom that Hermione stepped away from him until her back hit the wall and she slid down.

"Severus—"

"Don't you dare, don't you dare ever use my name." He looked at her with the utmost contempt once more before he walked over to her and tore the bracelet from her wrist, tapping his wand it burst to flame before she could stop him. She watched him though eyes brimming with tears as he flew from the room and jumped when the door slammed so hard that a mirror shattered from the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abaven found Severus buried in a bottle of whisky an hour later and knew instantly something was wrong. "Severus, what—"

"She killed it." Severus said in a scratchy voice that told the griffin he had been crying.

"She what?" Abaven asked not understanding.

Severus jumped to his feet and threw the bottle in the fire watching it shatter. "She fucking killed it! She went to Madame Pomfrey for an abortion potion; she had drained the bottle before I ever even got there. Selfish fucking bitch, Lily would never do that." Abaven watched as old wounds were reopened and he felt his heart ache both for his male owner and his female one.

"Where did you leave her?" Abaven said in a quiet voice.

"In the Room of Requirement, it's not use Abaven, she'd dead to me." Abaven looked at the man startled as he walked from the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was still sitting against the wall when the door finally opened and she saw Abaven enter. She didn't move, she didn't even blink as the griffin moved towards her.

"Did you take the potion?" He asked in a hard voice, not believing the girl would do it but not getting his hopes up. Hormonal women were something that was more dangerous than a volcano.

Hermione stared at the griffin before she flicked her hand towards the sink, she said nothing, and she just sat on the floor gazing ahead.

Abaven walked to the sink in confusion but as he neared he could smell the potion emanating from the depths. He jerked his hand back at the girl on the floor and his heart broke for her again. He walked back over to her and sat in front of her but she didn't shift her gaze, she might as well have been a statue.

"You dumped it out?" Abaven questioned and her head dipped in the barest hint of a nod. "You have to tell him."

"Tried," Hermione croaked her voice was husky and full of pain as she said just that one word. Abaven stared at her hoping that she would continue but she didn't.

"What is your plan now?" He pressed gently.

Hermione said nothing as her shoulders moved a fraction up and down. Her mind was blank, had been blank since he had first stepped into the room. His words reverberated around her head like some bad song that she'd listened to too many times. She suddenly thought of Tobias and her heart broke even more. She'd have to tell him that she was pregnant, knew he wouldn't understand why his "mummy" couldn't take care of him but she could take care of this new baby. Tears spilled over her cheeks burning a broken pattern down her face to her chin. She didn't know what to do; she always looked at things logically, now she just didn't care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the next two weeks Hermione and Severus stayed away from each other, in fact, outside classes then never saw each other at all. The few times they were near each other both of them ignored each other. Hermione kept her head down in class not bothering to raise her hand or give any participation efforts. Her potions weren't as perfect as they had always been which meant she got lower grades; but Potions wasn't the only class she was falling behind in. She had lost her luster for learning, her desire to be in the castle she considered home at all. She hadn't gone to visit Tobias yet and that was just another weight on her already overweighed shoulders. She took her meals late or not at all, she had taken to taking nourishment potions for substance. She didn't even know why she was bothering, what good was a baby if its father wasn't around.

Severus was in a similar fashion, he was surly and short-tempered, or more so than usual. He took points for reasons like breathing too loud or looking at him too long. Potions became the hellish lesson that no one wanted to go to but Severus didn't care. Abaven had stopped talking to both Hermione and he because of their equally horrid moods but neither of them could stop it. He stayed away from Hermione and any places where she might go.

It wasn't until February 16, that any change really happened. She went to her appointment with Madame Pomfrey and ignored the way that the witch clucked disapprovingly as she took in Hermione's ragged appearance. Hermione lifted the notice-me-not charm she kept on her belly at all times and looked down as it melted back into view. She was roughly 5 months along so her belly had grown out making the notice-me-not charm an absolute must.

"Miss Granger, you need to eat more." Madame Pomfrey said in a soft voice hoping not to upset the already very fragile girl.

"Yes ma'am," Hermione said just as she did every time the woman told her this.

"You are having a little boy, and he is perfectly healthy. Would you like to see him?" Hermione nodded her head and the witch cast a charm making a hologram screen pop up. Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she saw her perfect baby sitting happily in her womb. He had Severus nose, but any other feature wasn't yet discernible. He had a habit of sucking his thumb during these pictures and doing acrobatics late at night while Hermione tried to sleep.

She smiled at the image of her son sleeping away in her belly. This was someone that wouldn't leave her; he wouldn't judge her for her mistakes but would love her regardless of her past. She hadn't told anyone yet, but the window for telling people was slowly closing.

Madame Pomfrey canceled the charm and looked at Hermione with sad eyes. She avoided her gaze however not wanting to see what she knew was there: pity. She didn't want pity; she didn't want anything but to know her son would be okay. He was hers, just hers, she no longer thought of the tiny bundle as Severus' because in truth he wasn't Severus'. He hadn't been since the man had said those things to her without giving her a chance to explain.

She walked out of the infirmary with her head down; she walked into a body as she rounded the corner and stumbled back. The person reached out to catch her from falling and she looked up to meet gazes with none other than Severus. He was frowning down at her with an emotion she couldn't quite name but she tore herself away from him mumbling her apology for bumping into him and then she continued on her way. She waited until she was in her room with silencing spells and her face buried in her pillow before she burst into tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus looked down at his hand as the girl rushed away from him in confusion. He hadn't really looked at her recently but she had lost weight, too much weight in fact, his hand had closed almost entirely around her upper arm and he was alarmed at the smallness of her figure. He snarled and shook his head clearing the thoughts from his head and reminding himself, not for the first time, that she had killed his child.

"Poppy!" Severus yelled as he walked into the infirmary and he saw the woman turn towards him.

"Yes Severus?"

"Here are the potions you needed," Severus said as he pulled out the vials of nutrient potions the nurse had asked him to make. "How are you going through these so fast Poppy, surely you don't have any kids coming this often for them?"

"Miss Granger is taking them Severus, I'm not sure she can keep anything down not that I'm certain she'd tried." Poppy said sadly as she grabbed the vials and walked towards her potions cabinet to restock.

"Why wouldn't she be able to keep anything down Poppy? Abortion potions don't have that long of a side-effect if one at all when taken correctly." Severus said in a bored voice. He raised an eyebrow when the nurse looked at him in confusion.

"Why would Miss Granger be under the effects of an abortion potion Severus? She knows the dangers of aborting this late and I haven't given her any more."

Severus stared at the older woman with confusion blazing through his mind along with annoyance. "You do you mean 'aborting this late'?"

Madame Pomfrey frowned at him deeply finally understanding that she was missing something, she had thought that Hermione had told him about his son but obviously not. "Well most abortions should be done around the 6-12 week mark to avoid any lasting damage, I can't imagine Miss Granger brewing her own and taking it against my words."

Severus felt blood rushing through his ears as he stumbled over to a seat. "She-she's still pregnant?" His voice was wobbly and full of emotion.

"Yes you daft man, she's nearing 5 months now, got quite a belly on her now she does but being so skinny doesn't help much." The nurse said as she turned her back on Severus to reorganize his cabinet.

Blood was roaring through Severus' ears as the news hit him hard, he felt pain burst through his chest like he'd been hit with a crucio. He stumbled to his feet slowly and began to walk out of the hospital wing. He didn't know how he managed to end up in his quarters but he was sitting on his couch with a tumbler of whisky when Abaven's voice floated to his ears.

"Are you trying to kill your liver by drinking like this?" the griffin said as he jumped onto his owners lap.

Severus stared at him blankly until he vaguely remembered that he had gone to find Hermione that day. "Did you find Hermione?"

Abaven cocked his head in question. "I didn't know I was looking for her."

"No—" Severus stared but his voice cracked so he began again. "No, that day…"

Abaven nodded understanding which day he meant without needing to ask. "Yes I did, she was in the room of requirement in a right state."

"The potion—" He asked but the question never left his mouth before Abaven was shaking his head.

"She poured it down the sink that the room provided, smelled the gross stuff myself." Abaven said but he was confused.

"She—she poured it out?" Severus whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Yes, and if you'd waited long enough for her to explain you would've known that." Abaven said impishly.

"Go get her… I need… I need to see her." Severus said in a strangled voice and the griffin jumped down at once. He sat in perfect silence as he waited for the griffin to return and he jumped up with anxiousness when the griffin ran back into the room but he was alone. "Did she not want to come?"

Abaven looked up at him with saddened eyes and forced himself to say what he had to say. "Severus, she's gone… She left."

Severus crumpled to the floor in a heap of misery and regret just as Hermione was appearing at Grimmauld Place. She knocked on the door and it opened to show a black headed grinning face looking back at her.

She picked her head up and looked straight into the eyes of the only person she would trust with this. "Hello Sirius."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	28. A Spy's Miracle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius stared at Hermione like she'd grown another head as she told him about the last 18 months since she and Severus had started this…whatever it was. Sirius wasn't as hateful towards Severus as he had been before the trios 5th year because of the other man's lucky reflexes. The killing curse that had been so close to hitting him instead hit the rock was of the archway behind him shattering the stone but the bang of the explosion had knocked Sirius through the veil but instead of dying he had just tumbled off the archway then was knocked unconscious when he hit the cement floor.

Harry didn't know this of course because of Dumbledore's wishes, though Hermione had figured it out one night when they were staying in Grimmauld place. She had come down late one night to make herself a glass of tea and saw on sitting on the table already; it puzzled her but as she went to pick up the cup of tea her hand as brushed someone invisible. She had almost had a heart attack when Sirius suddenly appeared but he silenced her with her own wand before she could yell and wake the boys.

Hermione sighed as Sirius paced the kitchen thinking over what she had said to him. "So this—this Tobias boy, you want him to come live here? With me? Merlin Hermione, I can't offer him any type of life here."

"You are my only hope Sirius, I had thought about approaching Severus but—well," Hermione said lamely and Sirius nodded his understanding.

"I don't know Hermione, you and Severus aren't going to fight forever, what then?" Sirius asked uncertainly.

"I don't know. I honestly do not know but I know that Tobias need a father, a loving figure in his life all the time who doesn't just pop in once or twice a month to see him briefly. He needs a—a proper family, even if that just means you, he needs to be loved." Hermione said thickly trying to swallow the lump that had swelled in her throat.

Sirius stared at her feeling his heart strings being pulled at the sight of her falling apart on his and the slightly rounded swell of her belly. "Oh bloody hell Hermione, when do I meet the whelp?" Hermione launched herself at him whispering her thanks repeatedly into his ear as she fell apart and wept with gratefulness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus was a mess, was an even worse mess than he had been before, no one had seen or heard from Hermione in two days and he was worried. He thought about visiting Tobias again but he had held off not wanting to upset the little boy but as a day became two, then a week, he decided to go see the boy and ask him.

He appeared in front of the orphanage to see Hermione and the little boy leaving with, his heart froze and his anger peaked, Black. He said nothing as he followed them and started shaking when they apparated to Grimmauld Place, Black pressed a kiss to Hermione's forehead and Severus couldn't take it anymore.

"What the hell is this?" He said stalking forward towards the three people who jerked around to face him. Hermione was the first to react as she handed the little boy to Sirius, he looked between his mummy and Severus with a mixture of concern and fear but Severus ignored him.

"Sirius, take him inside please. We are all going to go inside to talk." Hermione said in an authoritative voice that even Severus didn't want to ignore.

Once inside Sirius took Tobias to his new room to show him around leaving Hermione and Severus behind him to hash out their problems.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione demanded angrily as soon as the two boys were out of earshot.

"What the hell are you doing here with—with him?" Severus spat angrily.

"He is helping me Severus since you seemed to averse to doing it."

"You don't look pregnant," He accused but felt his mouth run dry as she suddenly canceled the spell hiding her belly from view. "Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded. "Why have been here whoring with Sirius while it's my child that grows in your—"

His words were cut off as Hermione's hand met his face, she slapped him so hard that her hand stung painfully and he tasted blood in his mouth. "Don't you dare stand in this house and accuse me of anything Severus Snape! You know nothing of what I have been doing here and you know nothing about 'your child' because you've had your head so far up your arse it must be jealous of the shit that flows from your mouth. Do you even know the sex of your child? How far along I am? What he looks like? What his heartbeat sounds like? You know nothing; you are nothing to this child! You've done nothing but showed me your back since I found out about this child and he is mine! Not yours, he is mine." Hermione yelled at him feeling all the anger and resentment she had held inside since he had left flow out of her with ease.

"Hermione—I'm sorry." Severus tried but was immediately cut off by her hysterical laughter.

"You're sorry? You call me a selfish bitch not even finding out if I drank the potion of not before you turn your back on me." She broke off abruptly as she heard the pitter-patter of little feet on the floor and turned to see her adoptive son running towards her full speed. He stopped sharply though when he caught sight of her tummy poking out.

"Mummy?" Tobias asked with a quivering lower lip. "Mummy what's wrong with your belly?"

Hermione sighed and knelt down on his level pulling him to her. "Honey, you're going to have a sibling in a few months—"

Tobias turned to glare at Severus who was mildly impressed by the heat in the boys look. "You—you wuined it all. You came and wuined our wittle famly."

Hermione watched the exchange with a helpless look but she pulled Tobias towards her again. "You know I love you baby, I can take care of you so much better now and uncle Sirius will be with you every day. No matter who comes and goes in our lives Toby, I will always love you and you will always be my son."

The little boy shuffled his feet uncertainly looking down at his shoes. "You won't love the other ones better than me?"

Hermione smiled through her tears as the little boy's innocence but shook her head firmly. "Never." She kissed the top of his head and he ran back towards his bedroom. She stood up slowly feeling the strain on her muscles as she did so and raised her eyes to see that Severus was staring at her.

"Hermione—" Severus began but her hand cut him off.

"Save it Severus, I don't want to hear it right now, I don't want to be near you right now. I will be back at Hogwarts on Monday, maybe and that's a huge maybe, we will talk then but you better have something better than a half-assed apology and excuses." She turned and left Severus standing in the entry way to the house where he stood for a moment before turning and leaving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True to her word Hermione appeared back at Hogwarts on Monday acting as if nothing had happened. She was wearing her notice-me-not charm again as she walked into the hall and headed for Harry ignoring the black eyed man who watched her every move. She ate slowly to give her stomach a chance to digest the food before she stuffed more in there. She had started gaining back some of the weight she'd lost when she was with Sirius but unfortunately that was only because he breathed down her neck until she ate a satisfying amount of food.

She trudged down to potions not looking forward to sitting in the cold dungeons to brew but she, along with the rest of the class, was shocked when they entered and saw a fire was burning brightly keeping the room comfortable warm.

"I can get rid of it if you all want to stand there and stare at it. I am disappointed that after 7 years of learning you still can't recognize that it's fire." Severus drawled in his sneering voice as they gaped at the fire but at the mention of it going away they quickly adjusted their features and rushed to their seats.

Hermione stared at him closely as he began to lecture and saw him darting his eyes towards her more than was normal or necessary. She ignored him as she began to brew her potion but twinges of pain kept running up her spine. She shifted her position and they abated a tiny bit but they returned with what seemed to be a renewed force. She bit her lip as she continued brewing but kept her head down so no one would see the sheen of sweat that broke out across her forehead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus sat behind his desk while the students worked glancing every so often towards Hermione. His brow furrowed when he noticed that she was standing stiffly and winced every couple of seconds. She looked pale and sweaty as she stood on her feet keep her focus on the cauldron in front of her. The bell rang to signal the end of the class but she didn't move with the rest of the class as they left the classroom. She stood staring at her desk and he stood to walk over to her.

"Herm—Miss Granger? Is something amiss?" He asked in his best teacher voice but he grew worried when her gaze met his and there was clear pain written behind her eyes.

"Sev-Severus, my stomach, it hurts." She whimpered and he immediately picked her up rushing out of the classroom towards the infirmary not paying attention to any students who looked at him.

"Poppy!" He yelled and the nurse came bustling into the ward at the urgency in his voice.

"Put her here, what's wrong?" She asked as she ran her wand over the girl but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"She was complaining of stomach pains, she had them throughout class but she didn't say anything." Severus growled and silently cursed her foolishness.

"Hermione, I need you to tell me what you feel." Madame Pomfrey whispered to her.

"Pressure," Hermione answered out on a grunt of pain.

"What does it feel like?" She questioned again.

"Like…Like…I have to pass gas," Hermione whimpered but had the consciousness to blush at her words.

"Oh dear, Severus get Minerva, hurry!" She snapped at the man and he tore back through the infirmary banging through the doors quickly.

"Hermione, I need you to listen to me. I need you to roll onto your back, I know it hurts, but I need you on your back. There's a dear, put your feet on my knees, that's the way." Madame Pomfrey said softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione didn't know what the nurse was doing but she just knew that she really didn't like the feeling she was having. She heard the doors open again and in ran McGonagall and Severus hurrying towards the two of them.

"Poopy, what is it?" McGonagall asked as though her favorite student wasn't very pregnant.

"The baby is coming Minerva, her body is trying to dispel it." Poppy said and Hermione felt her blood run cold.

"What? But it's too early… I'm only 6 months, there's no way, he can't come, he has to stay. Please don't take him out, he won't survive." Hermione whimpered in pain and heartbreak. Her eyes met Severus and she saw his heartbreak there as well.

"Hermione, push." Poppy said but Hermione shook her head furiously.

"No, it's too soon, he can't—he can't not yet," She sobbed but she felt her body respond to the command without her consent.

"Hermione, if you don't push you will both die," Poppy said softly and suddenly Severus was in her line of vision.

"Don't you dare give up on me damnit, I know that I've made mistakes but I can't lose you Hermione. Please, please do what she says; it'll be okay I promise. Please I can't lose you both, I love you, I love you, we'll handle it if the worst happens. Think of Tobias Hermione, he needs you, I need you please Hermione." Severus said and the other two ladies looked at him with such sadness at his heartbroken voice.

Hermione's brown eyes met his and she clasped his hand tightly in hers as she bore down and pushed.

"That's a good girl Hermione, just like that. I can see the head, wow, lots of hair, curly. Keep pushing you're almost there come on you can do it." Madame Pomfrey urged and Hermione barely took a breath between her pushes. "The head is out, come on now Hermione big push, oh dear, the poor boy has Severus' nose."

Hermione's eyes welled with tears as did Severus' but their eyes never wavered from each other as she kept pushing. One last push and she felt her son slide from her body fully; she looked down to see the bluish face of his before Madame Pomfrey whisked him away.

"He's not crying, why isn't he crying? Severus, Severus he—he was blue, he's not crying," Hermione yelled hysterically and Severus just buried his face in her neck deep sobs wrenching through his body. "He's not crying, Severus I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry." Hermione sobbed and she looked over to see Madame Pomfrey steeping away from her son wiping her hands on her apron. She turned back to Hermione with misery written on her face and Hermione lost it.

"I'm sorry, he was too young and it was too late." Madame Pomfrey said with tears streaming uncheck down her face. Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs as her agonized misery tore through her very soul and Severus just held her as they both cried mourning the loss of their baby.

Suddenly a song broke through the air, and the three people looked around to see Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix flying into the hospital wing and directly towards the table that the dead baby on it. He landed near his head and looked down singing beautifully and the people of the hall just cried harder at the beautiful sound. Hermione put her face into Severus' shoulder accepting that she'd never get to meet the baby she'd carried when a cry echoed through the hall. She cried harder as she listened to Fawkes crying knowing that the Phoenix was accepting it as well but she heard gasps around her and she lifted her head from Severus' shoulders.

She looked up to see Madame Pomfrey and Minerva staring at the bird resting next to the baby and singing loudly, goose bumps popped out over her skin at the sound and the screaming cry got louder and louder until she closed her eyes against it.

"Oh my word, that's—that's impossible." Madame Pomfrey's amazed voice came and Minerva echoed her statement.

Severus didn't understand what the women were talking about until he raised his eyes to look at his dead son and the bird now looking very pitiful indeed. His eyes bugged out of his head as a little fist waved in the air and he stumbled away from Hermione. He tripped and fumbled his way over to the table holding his only child and almost fainted at the sight. He looked at the Phoenix in amazement before the bird burst into flames completely then the ashes disappeared. He stared at shock until a movement caught his attention and he looked at his son, who moment before had been blue and lifeless but was now staring back at him with a perfectly pink body and dark black eyes. Severus felt himself falling to his knees and he pulled his son to his chest. A screaming crying behind him reminded him of Hermione's presence and he stood to walk over to her.

"Hermione, look, look at me," Severus urged but she shook her head.

"I—I can't yet Severus, I just need—need to be alone. I—I'm sorry, all my fault." Hermione whimpered and Severus used his last resort.

"Miss Granger, if you don't look at me right this instant I will put Gryffindor house into the negatives by taking points," He roared, his son gave a startled jerk but stayed quiet and he was satisfied to see her head shoot up to look at him, he waited as her eyes flicked down to his arms, back up then did a double take back down to his arms.

"Is—is that—" She whispered not wanting to believe it but he sat on the edge of the bed showing her their son. Their perfectly formed, perfectly pink son, "It's impossible."

Hermione looked at the face that she had seen blue only minutes before but was now staring at her with a pink face and pitch black eyes. He gave a little fuss that clearly said "Enough gawking, I'm cold" and everyone burst out crying again.

If anyone asked them later what had happened, what had caused their baby to suddenly live regardless of being stillborn, they would have simply smiled and looked at their son. They knew what had happened; they knew that the sacrifice of Phoenix had breathed life into their boy.

As the little bundle slept in his parents arms as they stared at him they decided on a name without ever speaking to each other. They decided that he needed a strong name that held meaning for both parents; so when they appeared in the Headmistresses study later that day for the recording of his name Hermione and Severus smiled at each other before saying together:

"Phoenix Albus Snape."

The name appeared in the book instantly and everyone looked around at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore who was stroking Fawkes with tears streaming down his face.

Nox.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	29. To Love A Spy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. This is the end. Thanks for reading.

Hermione stared out of the kitchen window as she washed the dishes the muggle way, something Severus never hesitated to tease her about but it calmed her, relaxed her; the mindless task gave her time to clear her head and appreciate the path she had taken to get to this point.

She could hear Phoenix playing in his playroom with his siblings and as always his deep belly laugh made her think back to the silence of his birth. No one could explain it, no healer, or anyone else could give any reasoning to why her baby, dead upon birth, was saved. Albus Dumbledore seemed to have the best explanation; "I have always said that love is more powerful than any of our other magical powers."

She heard another boy's laughter which made her thoughts shift to another person entirely. Harry, he had been the one who accepted her pregnancy, or rather lack of one, and her relationship with Severus the best. He had stopped speaking to her for 5 months until Ginny got pregnant, but that seemed to grow him up and knock some sense into him. Ron, now there was a different story completely; he still wasn't entirely on speaking terms with her. Oh they were civil and spent holidays with each other but their friendship had never gone back to normal. She struggled for a long time, through many sleepless nights, and many gray hairs worrying about how to mend their friendship but in the end Severus had been the words or wisdom she needed to hear.

She sighed as she placed the last dish to dry and wiped her hands on the flannel cloth. She turned to walk back towards the sounds of children's laughter when the front door opened and her husband entered the house. She beamed at him as he hung up his traveling cloak then placed a heated kiss on her own.

"Hello, how are they today?" He asked her after they pulled away for air. He was a wonderful father despite his doubts about his shortcomings. He had never raised a hand in anger or discipline but instead used cold disappointment and firm rules as discipline. Their children had grown up knowing that their parents loved them more than the world but if they misbehaved there would be consequences; it was because of this that all of their kids were well behaved and well-mannered.

"Playing," She replied simply as they both walked towards the playroom. Their house from the outside looked small, like a one room shack, but on the inside it was larger. There were 6 bedrooms, 4 for each of their children, one for them, and a guest room. They had added 3 bathrooms because apparently one wasn't enough, they had built a playroom when Severus had finally gotten tired of tripping over toys all over the house, and a nursery was being built. They hadn't been trying to get pregnant but it had happened and they were thrilled.

The two of them stopped to look at the 9 children playing in the playroom which expanded and contracted to accommodate the occupants. 14 year old Tobias watched over 10 year old Phoenix their eldest biological child, 7 year old Pennelope their second, and 3 year old Arabella their third was playing with Harry's oldest, 9 year old Lily, 7 year old James, 5 year old Sirius, and 2 year old Luna also there were Luna and Neville's two, 8 year old Daphodil and 5 year old Cecilia. All of the kids were close in age and got along very well since they had been around each other since very young ages.

"Daddy!" Screeched Arabella as she barreled across the room into her father who picked her up with ease. Severus had aged well, his face had gathered a few more wrinkles and he had grays at his temples but he was still handsome and Hermione still desired him immensely. The rest of their children rushed over to meet their father all-embracing him at once except Phoenix; he was more reserved in his affections waiting until his younger siblings had gotten their hugs and kisses then had run away before he stepped forward to embrace his father.

"Hello son," Severus said softly pressing a gentle kiss onto the crown of his only sons head. He had always been more bonded with him than Hermione but she didn't mind. He was his father's son in almost every way including looks; he was quiet and brooding with an extreme talent for potions.

"Dad," Phoenix whispered back in an equally soft voice.

"You should start calling me sir, young man." Severus said in a hard voice as he pulled away and stared down at him.

Phoenix looked hurt for a moment not used to hearing his father speak to him that way unless he was in trouble and he dropped his head. Hermione smiled as Severus withdrew an envelope that held the Hogwarts crest and held it out to their son. His head jerked up to look at his father as he took the envelope and he tore it open quickly his face breaking into a huge smile as he read the letter.

Tobias walked over to see what his brother had, "What's that?"

"My Hogwarts letter," Phoenix said beaming up at his older brother who nodded.

Tobias had been told when he was eleven the story of how he came to live with them, but he hadn't cared, he had embraced them both saying they were the only parents he knew besides Uncle Sirius.

"Congrats Phee," Tobias said in support as he clapped his hand on his younger brothers back. He was the only one that Phoenix let call him that since it had been his nickname since his birth.

The two boys ran back over to play with the others and his parents watched them. They had come a long way since the day she found him in the corridor close to death and she had long since learned how to love a spy.


End file.
